The Challenge
by Ms.Bond
Summary: The ladies have worked so hard to be taken seriously in the construction industry, could three men could destroy it all? Judge's Choice winner for the Men At Work Contest. Canon Couples. Rated Mmm Mmm Good
1. Chapter 1

**This story is a collab written with TheRobotMoose**

**Part 1 was entered into the Men At Work Contest (anon), and won 1st Place, Judge's Award.**

**Our beta team is made up of MamboMama and Anipyro**

**This story will be continued, but due to the early arrival of baby Moose it will be a while before we post. Thanks for reading xoxo-MB**

**(oh and a special hug and kiss to my wonderful RM. I love you hard baby!!)**

**Disclaimer: The characters belong to SM, but the smut belongs to us!**

**Check out our review and banner on SYTYCW: http://sytycw(dot)blogspot(dot)com/**

* * *

"Are you all set for next week, Bella?" Alice stopped by Bella's office just to check in.

Bella rubbed her face, trying hard to scrub away the same look she always had after lining up the subs for a new project.

"Sure am. Demo's finishing up today and carpentry starts Monday. They'll have a week before plumbing and electrical show up. Everything's all set."

Alice put her hands on her hips, giving Bella that knowing look. "I know everything's all set with the subs. You're good at making sure everything's in place. I meant are _you_ ready for next week."

Bella, Alice and Rosalie knew they'd run into issues starting up their own business. Three B.A.R. Contracting was the general contracting brainchild of Rosalie Hale. She immediately pitched the idea to her college roommates, and they were in. From day one, the girls ran into the sexist, chauvinistic side of construction. They were well respected by those they'd worked with before, but always had to work extra hard to prove their worth.

Bella sighed. "They were all jerks on the phone. The owner of Masen Carpentry refused to believe that I wasn't the secretary. The head of Volturi Electrical assumed I was making calls for my husband. And the guy in charge at Quileute Plumbing wouldn't stop hitting on me. I'll be shocked if they show at the correct job site on the right day. Idiots. But don't worry; I'll whip 'em into shape like I always do."

Alice rolled her eyes, knowing Bella's frustration first hand. All three of the ladies knew the pain well. They'd all commanded job sites full of men who needed to be taught that construction doesn't have to be a man's world. Three B.A.R. Contracting didn't get high profile job after high profile job for no reason.

Their latest project was a custom residential build for Seattle's premier surgeon, Dr. Carlisle Cullen. He'd interviewed countless firms and chose Three B.A.R. for their management skills, their vision, and their ability. He chose them because they were the best in the business. Bella and her partners worked hard to create and maintain a business reputation that exceeded the norm. They wanted respect from their customers and peers and wouldn't stand for any pig-headed, sexist and crude comments from subcontractors.

Alice, confident that Bella had everything under control, left to make her own disheartening and frustrating phone calls to subs. Bella completed the financials and wrote the check for the demolition company. She capped off her Friday afternoon by thanking the demo crew and surveying the cleared lot where, in a few short days, a house would be built on the remaining foundation. She sat on the foundation and surveyed the land. Next week, she'd have to start fighting that familiar battle while trying to create the masterpiece she and Rosalie had created on paper for Dr. Cullen.

Construction often starts with demolition, the tearing down of a structure, whether deserving or not. Then the building begins. From the rubble comes something beautiful. Bella's job was just like construction. Monday morning she'd start to tear down the preconceived notions of the subcontractors. She had to tear down their attitudes and sexist ways. Then, once all the dust had settled, she could start to build a relationship built on trust and respect. By the end of the job, she'd have a beautiful house, a happy customer, and the respect of three new subcontractors. The construction business wasn't for the weak of mind, body or heart.

xXXx

Bella pulled up to the job site early Monday morning, her clip board in one hand and hard hat in the other. She expected to be the first one on site, as she normally was. Bella unlocked the trailer she would be sharing with the subcontractors for the project and moved over to her desk to unpack her documents and laptop. Bella had always been one to keep things exceptionally organized. She attributed it to her mother having been so disorganized. Placing the stuff in their temporary home, she sat down at her desk and finished going over the carpentry work order she had received late the night before.

It seemed that the project manager from the company they had contracted to do carpentry had done a drive by late last night and noticed that the tarp that was covering the wood for the build, had been soaked by the rainstorm that had suddenly blown through. Being in Seattle, rain was not uncommon, and Bella was always taking precautions, hence the tarp she requested cover the wood. But apparently the company that made the delivery had not properly tied it down and now all the raw materials were soaked.

Bella's phone call that evening with Edward Masen had not been pleasant. He had berated her and blamed it all on her lack of responsibility, claiming that she should have checked and made sure it was all okay. He did have a point, and maybe she could have done a drive by. After all, it was an unexpected storm. But the company they purchased the lumber from was familiar enough with her, and they had done so much business in the past, that she trusted they had done their jobs properly. It was not the way she wanted to start this project. Bella had been up all night converting the old order to a new one and on the phone with the owner of the lumberyard making sure they would be there, bright and early, with a new load.

She still had to deal with the financial mess it made. There wasn't any room in the budget for additional materials, so she was expecting the lumberyard, on good faith, to make good on their screw up.

Bella checked her watch. She still had at least thirty minutes before everyone started showing up. She set the coffee pot to brew, making a full pot. At the rate things were going, she would need every last drop of black gold. As Bella turned away from the mini kitchen, there was a brief tap on the door before it swung open.

For a split second, a look of surprise crossed Bella's face before she schooled her features and snapped into professional mode. The man that was standing before her did not look at all like your run-of-the-mill contractor. He was about 6'2 and stood with the stance one would when commanding a boardroom. His bronze tousled hair was so messy it was sexy. Bella was willing to bet he had spent time in front of the mirror creating the effect. His build was on the lean side, but you see definition in his arms, under his t-shirt. He had a plaid long sleeve button down thrown over his shoulder and his hard hat under his arm. It was quite the picture for Bella to take in.

"Good morning," She said with a polite smile. "Can I help you?"

"_You_ must be Ms. Swan." His voice was polite and without any emotion. Bella cringed internally. She knew exactly who this was. This was the man she has received the tongue lashing from last night. This was not the way she wanted to start the first day on the job.

Holding out her hand, Bella sucked it up and stepped forward. There was no way she was letting this man dictate how her day was going to go. "Mr. Masen, I presume? I have to say I did not expect to see you on-site. I assumed you would send one of your leads." He grasped her hand firmly, exerting his strength in what she assumed was an act of intimidation. Bella squeezed back, giving as good as she got. She thought she saw a small twinge pass his face at the gesture. It boosted her confidence just that much.

"With a project as large as this, I felt it was important that I be here to oversee and help where needed, especially after the incident last night." Edward raised a brow, as if daring Bella to defend herself again.

"I can assure you, Mr. Masen, that the problem has been rectified, and your crew will have plenty to work on today. The team that delivered the lumber last night was contracted out, and, in no way should the incident reflect poorly on the lumber company itself. Yes, they did a poor job securing the tarp over the wood and are taking complete responsibility for it. There will be a new load of lumber delivered first thing this morning."

"You re-ordered from the same company?" Edward asked completely astounded. "Ms. Swan, I don't know how you run your business, or how you have even survived if this is the norm for you, but where I'm from, we expect the best; we expect perfection, and when you screw up, you lose."

"Oh! Is _that_ what they teach you at Princeton, _Mr_. Masen?" Bella could see the lines in his jaw harden and she knew right then she'd hit a nerve.

"You pulled a background check on me?" He ground out. His eyes were glaring daggers at Bella.

Never one to back away from a fight, she continued. "Yes, I checked up on you. I make it a practice never to do business with anyone without a full background check. They may have taught you bad manners at Princeton, Mr. Masen, but where I come from, it's good business to investigate before you drop your largest supplier. And in the future, please do remember I make the decisions. Remember, _I_ contracted _you_. _You_ answer to _me_."

If Bella had been standing any closer, she would have jabbed him in the chest with every sharp word off her tongue. Anything to get her point across. "So, yes. I re-ordered from the same company. They happen to be a very well run, client-oriented company and they have _never _let me down. So, as I said before, there will be a new order of lumber delivered first thing this morning."

"Now, if you will excuse me, _Princeton_, I have some work to do. There is a desk in the corner over there if you would like to set up shop." Bella walked back over to her desk and sat down, dismissing Edward. If there was one thing she knew, it was how to never let anyone walk all over you, and he could have very easily done just that this morning if she had not played her cards right.

Edward stood in his spot for a few seconds, still glaring at Bella, before he retreated back to his desk. He was livid. He was more than livid; this pint-sized girl - no, definitely a woman, a beautiful woman - was not going to tell him what to do. This working relationship was going to be one hell of a minefield. That he was sure of.

Bella worked all morning, only lifting her head to acknowledge the large truck delivering a new batch of lumber. She didn't want to leave the safety and comfort of her desk until she was sure she could handle her next encounter with Princeton. She stood her ground like she needed to, but she knew the battle was far from over. So she did the only thing she knew to do; she called Rosalie.

"Bella? Is everything okay on the Cullen house?"

"Yeah, carpentry's started and the materials are here and everything's fine." She pouted into the phone.

"Then why do you sound so down?"

"I had a rough encounter with the carpentry sub this morning. The first load of lumber was soaked because of a freak windstorm that tore the tarp right off. And somehow that was my fault. So I came in early and got another shipment brought out. But Princeton's still mad at me for it. It's not like his guys stood around with nothing to do. They hadn't even finished unloading their tools by the time the lumber arrived."

"None of it sounds like a big deal, Bella. This isn't the first time and it won't be the last. We both know it's not your fault. Now, tell me about this jerk you call 'Princeton'." Rose's voice lifted at the end, signaling to Bella a shift from work talk to girl talk.

"What's to tell? He's a chauvinistic ass that's going to be a thorn in my side for the duration of the carpentry job."

"You know that's not what I mean. Now, give me the scoop. You don't assign nicknames without good reason."

Bella sighed and rubbed her temples. "Fine, do you want to hear that's he's a hot chauvinist? Do you want to hear that I can picture his sex hair whenever I close my eyes? Or do you want to hear that as soon as I open my eyes I see the ass that stood in front of me and treated me like and incompetent idiot?"

Rose laughed. "I think I like the idea of his sex hair. Tell me more."

Bella finally laughed. "Stop it, Rose. I need to go out there and address the crew before they break for lunch. It's going to be impossible if I can't stop thinking about him in _that_ way."

"Okay, Bella. Go get your tiger on. Lay down the law like I know you can. They'll come around soon enough."

Rose hung up the phone. Bella grunted an annoyed sound. The first days with a new sub were always the worst. She hated having to give the boss speech. She hated having to be tough in front of the crew. She much preferred the way she could relax and joke around with the guys by the end of a job. But this wasn't the end of a job... it was only the beginning.

Meanwhile, Edward and his small crew were getting ready to take a break for lunch. They'd spent the morning setting up the job-site, securing the materials and tools and creating their burglar-proof housing for overnight storage. After a good, hearty lunch, the men would be ready to start construction.

Emmett barreled over to the truck, ready to jump in. For whatever reason, he always liked to drive when they all went to lunch. Tradition dictated that they always went out to lunch as a crew the first day of the job and the day after they completed a job. Being somewhat superstitious, none of the men liked to mess with tradition.

"Come on, guys. I'm starving. I could eat a horse!" Emmett bellowed from across the lot. He was stripping out of his white Hanes t-shirt and getting into his black polo shirt. He left his Carhartt carpenter pants on. He had a theory that you wanted to look like a tough, working guy, but never a tough guy that was actually out working.

"Whoa, Em. You didn't have to get all dressed up just for little ol' me, handsome." Jasper teased in that southern drawl he used to get the ladies.

"You know this isn't for you, Tex. One of these days I'm gonna meet the woman of my dreams when we go out to dinner. And I don't want to look like a slob when I do. It's pure science. And if you tried some of my techniques, instead of relying on those dimples and that stupid accent, maybe you'd be knockin' boots more often." Emmett chuckled as he climbed in the driver's seat.

Jasper looked down at his dusty wranglers, his simple Hanes t-shirt, navy Wrangler plaid work shirt and his cowboy boots. He'd special ordered the boots to comply with OSHA footwear standards. You could take a man out of Texas, but you couldn't take Texas out of the man. Jasper stuck out his lower lip and grumbled to himself about looking perfectly acceptable.

Edward walked up behind Jasper and clasped him on the shoulder. "Don't worry so much about Emmett. I live next door to him, and I can guarantee you the only action his boots see is when the dog pisses in 'em. Let's get out of here before the boss shows up, huh?"

Jasper and Edward climbed into Emmett's over-sized truck. Edward was about to close the door when he a familiar sound.

"Princeton! Hey, Princeton!" Bella rushed toward the truck, hoping beyond all hope to catch Edward before he shut the door. She felt it was important to address Edward in front of his crew, to lay down the law. She didn't want this to wait until this afternoon when the crew had left and Edward was wrapping up his paperwork. She called loudly, sure he could hear her just fine, as they were the only crew on site and the normal sounds of a construction site hadn't yet started.

Edward pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. Exactly what he was hoping to avoid was happening right before his eyes. The she-devil, hell bent on her feminist ways, was running toward his crew. _His_ crew - not hers. Emmett looked up to see a beautiful woman storming toward the car. "See, Jasper, the polo shirt's already working."

Jasper looked up to see the same woman. Only he didn't see a beautiful woman storming to the truck. Instead, he saw a woman on a mission. He saw that same determined look every time his mama was on the warpath. He could see exactly where her intentions were aimed. "I don't think it's the polo, Em. She's got Eddie in her sights. I think we're safe."

Edward grunted. "Hah. Good luck with that." With a heavy sigh, he exited the truck and stood just outside the door. "Ms. Swan. To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"I wanted to take a few minutes to discuss the schedule this week. Electrical and plumbing are starting Monday so we need to make sure the structure is ready for them."

Edward reached for the bridge of his nose again. He knew the schedule. He bid the schedule. He'd yet to cause a job to go behind schedule, and wasn't going to start now. Emmett and Jasper noticed his frustration. Out of pure curiosity, they cracked their respective windows down just enough to hear the conversation without being obvious.

"Ms. Swan, I know how to run my crew. I know when we need to be done, and I know how to get us there. Trust me, I've been doing this longer than you have."

"I doubt that, Princeton. But even if that were true, I don't care how long you've been doing construction. What I care about is that you and your crew don't mess up my job site. I care that you don't screw around with your buddies and waste my time. You put in a bid saying you could do this job. Don't mess it up."

Bella started to walk away, feeling triumphant and empowered. Edward couldn't let it end like that, not in front of his boys. Edward grabbed her arm and swung her around until she was so close to his chest, she could smell the morning sweat he had worked up. He used his free hand to tilt her chin up. He lowered his head so his lips barely tickled the peachy soft hairs right by her ear. "Listen here, miss project manager. This is my company. You hired me to get the job done. And that's exactly what I'll do. I don't need you trying to prove that you're one of the big boys, when you clearly aren't a man at all." He took his time saying the last part, enjoying the feeling of Bella's body tensing under his words.

"You may try to run the job-site, but I'll handle the real work. Don't you worry yourself over something as silly as what the real construction workers are doing. You just stay in the pretty little trailer and I'll take care of everything else. You understand?"

Bella gasped and pulled away from Edward's grip. She was utterly speechless. Never had a sub treated her the way Edward just treated her. And never before had someone treated her so badly in front of a crew. "Princeton! I own this construction site. You work for me. Make no mistake, I am your boss. And you will answer to me. You will do as I say, and you will do it in the timeline established when you signed our contract. It's what you signed up for when you bid for this job. You are the one who wanted this job. So don't screw around, and don't you dare ignore me. There will be hell to pay if you or any of your crew -" Bella glanced past Edward into the cab of the truck. Two very handsome men stared back with looks of restrained amusement. "Disrespects me or my position. Don't test me, Princeton. Trust me on this one."

Bella stormed off to the sounds of hearty chuckles from _his_ crew. How _dare_ Edward try to intimidate her. How dare Edward make her look so stupid in front of his crew. How dare he.

Edward climbed back into the truck, grunting at Jasper to move out of his way. Emmett drove away without saying a word. Jasper wasn't as smart. "Dude. You're so going to hit that." he smacked Edward on the arm to emphasize his point.

Edward threw his head against headrest and let out a loud laugh. "That witch? I wouldn't touch her with a ten-foot pole. I don't want to have anything to do with her. So, do me a favor and don't screw this up. The sooner we finish the job, then sooner we can get away from the she-devil, okay?" His words were rough, and he didn't know if he believed them, but he couldn't let his guys know just how much she messed with his head.

In chorus, Emmett and Jasper boomed, "Yes, boss."

Bella opened the door to the trailer, slamming it back up against the outside of the building. She winced when she heard the racket. Peeking her head outside, she glanced around making sure that Edward and his cronies did not catch her throwing her little tantrum. When she determined that the coast was clear, and she had not been caught, she reached outside for the door knob and pulled the door shut behind her.

The anger she was feeling at that moment was so significant. Growing up in the southwest, in a neighborhood primarily consisting of boys, and always being told that because she was small or a girl she couldn't do what they did, set her on a mission. She had been bound and determined that she could do _anything_ they could. When she was eight, she was the only girl on the little league team. When she was a freshman in high school, the only girl taking machine shop. She knew all about men, boys and the way they had an archaic sense when it came to women and measuring up.

After high school, Bella did a brief summer internship in Port Angeles for a construction firm, learning the basics of construction management and knew she'd found her niche. That fall, Bella enrolled herself into college at Seattle University where she met Alice and Rose. In her off time she took any job she could get in the construction field, trying to get real life experience under her belt. She had done everything from sweeping floors to pouring foundation and even office work, filing and typing out letters.

Taking a deep breath, Bella tried to focus and calm herself. He was only a man - a hot, beautiful, sexy man - but still, a man. Even those thoughts fueled her anger. How dare he, that chauvinistic pig, make her feel that way. It was unthinkable! And to manhandle her that way, grabbing her and practically forcing her into such proximity. A tingle shivered up her spine at the memory, her body reacting naturally, even if her brain was contradicting it.

Turning around, Bella faced the door again and kicked it, leaving a large black streak from her work boots. _Great!_ _This is just great!!_ He would notice that for sure and then the gloating would begin.

Bella flung herself into her chair determined to put Princeton out of her head and get back to work. Reaching behind her, she grabbed her lunch off the counter and unwrapped her sandwich, eating as she dug into her work.

Soon enough, Bella was so immersed in her work that she completely missed the trio returning from lunch. Bella visibly jumped when the door flew open and Edward came barreling in like he owned the place. "What's with the dent?" A cocky grin spread over Edwards face as he continued. "What? Did I frighten the she-devil? You a little spooked in here all alone?"

"Absolutely not. If you must know, I happen to zone out when I'm working in the office and didn't expect you to come traipsing through the door like some sort of barbarian. Anyone would have been briefly startled." Bella paused a moment, the rest of Edward's words sinking in. "She Devil? You couldn't come up with something more original? Really, Princeton, I expected better of you."

"Whatever_..." _His tone was anything but pleased at the insult. As a matter a fact, the next words he spoke were filled with malice and disdain, "I just wanted to say that next time you feel the need to lecture me, I would appreciate it if you didn't do it in front of my crew. I don't appreciate being dressed down in front of them."

Bella stood up, placing her palms flat on her desk. Her voice was low and steely. "Oh, really? You know what I think? Don't dish it out if you can't take it. I am one hundred percent committed to this job and the results. I am fully willing to respect you, but _only_ if I get respect in return. You would do well to remember that. And trust me when I say if I were dressing you down," Bella raked her eyes up and down Edward's body, " you would know it."

"Oh, would I?"

"Leave, Princeton. Now. I'm sure you have work to do."

Without a word Edward turned around and left the trailer. Bella was smiling smugly, satisfied that she gotten one up on him again. There was no way she going to let him win this tug-of-war they seemed to be in, not if she could help it.

Bella worked the rest of the day without interruption, only briefly breaking to peek out the windows to see how the men were progressing. Peering out the window she caught sight of Edward squatting down to pick up a large piece of lumber and move it to the saw. The muscles in his arms rippled as he lifted the heavy wood, a light sheen of sweat glistening on his skin. In her mind she could see those arms wrapped around her, his calloused hands playing about her skin. Bella jumped back from the window as Edward turned her way, the blinds bouncing off the window as she did so.

_Shit! Get your head out of the clouds, Bella. He is so not your type!_

Looking at her watch, she decided to call it a day. She could finish the rest of the paperwork at home, and everything else would keep until tomorrow. Packing up her belongings, she locked up the trailer and left for home.

xXXx

"Hey, dude, your woman's leaving," Emmett nudged Edward, cocking his head toward Bella's retreating form.

"Man, shut the fuck up, she's _not_ my woman."

"Testy, testy, Eddie. By the way you're acting, I'd say she's getting under your skin."

"If you mean the way a rash gets under your skin, then yes, you're right. Now let's finish up here so we can leave. I don't know about you, but I could really use a drink."

"Dude, you can try and fool yourself, but you're not fooling me. I know what I see. But whatever... you keep telling yourself that and I'll be waiting to say I told you so." Emmett grinned, smugly elbowing Jasper in the ribs and nodding his head.

Edward rolled his eyes, shaking his head. "Come on, you two. Let's pack up and get out of here. You both up for that drink?"

"Man, have you ever known me to turn down a drink?" Jasper chimed in, "I'm totally in, let's get our drink on."

Twenty minutes later, Edward, Emmett and Jasper were seated at a table in the bar, drinking the draft on tap, staring at each other.

"Okay guys, out with it. I know you're both itching to say something. You've been staring at me for the last ten minutes," Edward said.

"Eddie, it's just that, well we've known each other a while, right? I mean like years, and us guys, we're always straight with each other. Remember when Jasper contracted that STD from that French au pair, Ms. Firecrotch? Did we once blame him or rub it in his face? No, he confessed, and we accepted."

"Emmett, he _had_ to confess, he broke out in a rash and his dick was burning up. We had to rush him to the hospital. What else were we supposed to do?"

"Man, Emmett, did you have to bring that up? The doc gave me some cream, and it was gone within a week. I'm over it, you should be, too. And come on, she was hot; I mean, more than hot. You could bounce a quarter off her ass it was so firm. And her b-"

"Okay, Jasper, I think we get the idea." Edward interjected. The last thing he needed was a verbal porn flick, compliments of Jasper. He had other things to worry about, namely, other people. No, namely, other _person_. One in particular, which was turning out to be a major thorn in his side. What killed him was that Emmett was right. He couldn't stop thinking about her. No matter how annoying she was, he was extremely attracted to her. He knew it was a purely physical thing, but still, that would not bode well for business. This was a problem he needed to take care of, push out of his head or replace with something else. Thinking back to earlier in the day, he could still recall the way her chest heaved as she lashed out at him. Her breasts rising and falling, the way her hair was falling out of its clasp in tendrils around her face. He could see her body and its curves that she tried so desperately to hide under all the loose work clothes. It only made her more appealing. Her face, the softness of it, there wasn't a line in sight. Her lips begged to be kissed. They were plump, not overly full and perfectly shaped. But it was her eyes that would haunt his dreams tonight. They bore into him and he felt that she could see straight into his soul.

"Earth to Edward." Emmett was waving a hand in front of his vacant stare. "What gives man! Where the hell are you?" Emmett paused for a moment before a grin spread across his face. "I knew it!! You are totally thinking about her, aren't you?? Dude, you are so done for."

"Sure, she's hot as hell and fiery, too. But what woman isn't? Look around the bar and find me a chick you wouldn't bang just because she offered, huh? Just because Ms. Swan is built well doesn't mean I want to jump her bones any more than any other chick. And just because she pisses me off doesn't mean I have it bad for her. It's bad enough we have to work for a girl, I don't want to think about her while I'm out with my guys, okay?" Edward knew he was lying to himself just as much as he was lying to Jasper and Emmett. He knew they saw through the ruse, but he kept it up anyhow.

"Did you hear that, Em? Eddie says we're working for a girl. It's been a long time since we've showered at the gym together, but last I saw, _my_ boss wasn't a girl. Something you need to tell us, Eddie?" Jasper laughed at his own lame joke and took a long swig of beer. Seeing the serious mood in Edward, Jasper cleared his face and asked seriously, "So, what are we going to do? You hate working for a girl. I hate working for you when you're like this. And the other jobs you've got going are fully staffed. Where does that leave me and Em?"

Edward stood up and threw money down on the table to pay his bill. "You're right. I'm still your boss. You work for me. So you show up to work just like you do every day. You do your best, you build a flawless house, and you get paid; nothing changes. I'll handle the girl." Without another word, he walked out of the bar and drive home. After a long and frustrating day, he needed to go home and take the tension relieving measures into his own hand.

Across town, the ladies of B.A.R. Contracting we're doing a little drinking of their own. Rose and Alice were chatting away, beers in hand. Bella had her head back on the cushions of the booth and her fingers nimbly rubbing her temples. She'd been at the bar for a few hours, but hadn't heard a word the other two had said. She couldn't get her mind away from every confrontation she'd had with Edward. He was being so obstinate and couldn't handle direction from a woman. Or maybe he could, maybe it was that she was the one giving the instructions. Whatever it was, it made her blood boil.

And every time she thought about the confrontations and harsh words spoken between them, her mind automatically replayed the moment when he'd grasped her hard and leaned in to speak so very close to her ear. He smelled like lumber and sweat and man. His voice was rough and had that warning edge to it. His calloused hands held her firmly, but not painfully. Her mind easily spun the entire scenario into a completely different scene. In this new vision, his hands were just as calloused and firm, but so very gentle with her. He smelled of sweat and man and pure passion. His voice was rough, his grunts made of pure instinct and pleasure. His rough breath no longer caressed her cheek, but rather the inside of her thighs.

Digging her balled fists into her eyes, Bella let out a loud groan of frustration. Why couldn't she keep her thoughts at bay? Why couldn't she shut down that damn brain of hers before it went _there_? Alice and Rise noticed her pain right away. "Sweetie, they've never gotten to you like this before. What's so different about this one?" Alice asked.

Before Bella could answer, Rose interjected. "Oh, he's got sex hair. That's what's different about him."

Bella wanted to die. She didn't want to discuss his hair, or sex, for that matter. "No, Rose. What's gotten to me is that he refuses to respect me. Normally, I can get a sub on board within a day or two. There's absolutely no taming this lion. And his crew doesn't seem to be helping. They didn't say a word, but I know they share his same viewpoint. Women aren't to be on a construction site, no matter what. It pisses me off. And I don't know what to do about it."

Rose and Alice put their heads together and spoke softly. A few seconds later, they straightened up and gave Bella their I-mean-business look. "You have two options. The first, go on that site tomorrow and demand respect. Show them who's boss and that you mean everything you say. Forget he's gorgeous and you want to do him. Forget he's anything but a sub. In fact, think of him as a Crusty Ol' Bob - you know the type. That way you can do what you need to do, and he'll get the hint."

"Yeah, good idea, Rose. It worked so well today. What's the other idea?"

Alice grinned widely, "Fuck him until you can't stand him anymore. Then you'll be happy, and you won't care that he's a giant dick." She clapped loudly, obviously thrilled with her own pun. "And if he's as big a dick as you say he is, the romp in the hay will so be worth it. Hey, I'm tired."

Bella rolled her eyes and sighed heavily. "Too much beer, Alice. Too much. You're slurring and cracking yourself up. Let's get you home to sleep it off. Rose? Care to help me here?" she pushed Rose out of the round booth and went on the other side to grab at a quickly-fading Alice. They helped her out to Bella's truck. Rose followed behind Bella and Alice in her own truck. Once home, they put Alice to bed and bid each other good-night.

Bella sat in her bed until midnight, stewing and blaming, and just plain getting pissed off. She couldn't control Edward, she couldn't control her own traitorous imagination, and she couldn't control anything that had happened over the last twenty-four hours. What she could control was her actions and words from here on out. And that's exactly what she was determined to do.

xXXx

Bella arrived at work early, despite her lack of restful sleep the night before. She wanted to establish herself as a serious project manager and superintendent. She had just sat down to her laptop to start a budget report when the door unexpectedly opened. "Um, Edward. What are you doing here so early?"

"We're on a first name basis, are we? I know we haven't had the traditional 'where is this relationship going' conversation, but it's awfully presumptuous of you to assume I'd ever want to call you by your first name. I guess if that's how you want this whole working relationship to go, then that's how it goes, right, _Boss_?" Edward sneered. The venom in his words rolled off of him with every syllable spoken. He hated that Bella was already at the site. He hated that the hour or so of time he expected to have to himself was no longer. He really didn't want to deal with her. Something about her just ticked him off, and he couldn't put his finger on it.

His mother was a strong woman and held many different jobs that were typically thought of as 'man's work', so that wasn't the problem, as far as he knew. He'd worked for women before. His mentor is college was a woman. What was it about Bella Swan that got to him so badly?

"Fine, you can be immature and rude, Princeton. I really don't mind. Be a jackass to me all you want. But don't screw with my job-site. We have a budget and timeline to stick to. I pay you to do your job. We don't have to be best friends, but you do have to get your work done. So yes, this is how it goes. I am your boss. Your crew is yours, but if they start messing up _my_ job-site, then _you_ are going to fix it. Do you understand?"

Edward was hoping for some sort of play with Bella, but she didn't give him that. No, she laid down the law and kept it short and sweet. He wasn't prepared for that at all. "Um... yes, Boss." He stammered.

Bella, feeling somewhat professional and victorious, let out a soft breath, hoping Edward couldn't hear the nerves seeping out of her. She'd wanted to say so very many things in response, but knew she had to take the high road. Feeling a little giddy, she looked up to see Edward unpacking his files and laptop. Assuming he was preoccupied and not listening, she mumbled to herself "Someday you'll be screaming out my first name, you ass."

Edward heard every breath and mumble Bella let out. He'd purposefully turned his back, so she assumed he wasn't paying attention. It never took him this long to unload his laptop and papers. Never. But he didn't want to interrupt her 'private' moment. With a silent smile, he sat down and started on his reports, waiting for the rest of his crew to show up.

A very quiet hour later, the trailer door slammed open and a large tower of man walked in. Edward didn't look up from his work, but Bella did. She just gaped as this man walked through her trailer. She'd seen him before, but never this close. He was huge. "I'm sorry, can I help you with anything?" She asked, hoping to understand why he was taking a tour of her single-wide work trailer.

He looked her up and down carefully, a glint of humor and naughtiness in his eyes. "I doubt it." He walked from one corner of the trailer to the other, noticing every sparse detail to behold, including Bella's stash of clothes heaped nicely in a chair near her desk.

"Emmett, quit being annoying. Jasper here yet? We ready to start the framing today?" Edward stood up and grabbed his flannel from the back of the chair.

"Yeah, we're good to go, Boss. Just coming in to say good morning, that's all." He looked over and smiled his playboy smile at Bella.

"Emmett, is it?" Bella asked, standing up and holding out her hand. "I'm Bella Swan. Pleased to make your acquaintance. I'm not sure what Princeton has told you, but I'm the Super and the PM for this job. You'll see me around the site quite a bit."

Emmett looked her up and down again, but didn't shake her hand. "Titles are nice. You have yours plastered on a business card or something?" He looked back to Edward, who was giving a warning look. "Okay, Eddie. Let's get to work. You know the real kind, that involves labor and sweat."

Edward knew he couldn't let Emmett talk to anyone like that, even if he felt it was true. He reached up to rub the sleep and frustration and confusion out of his eyes. "Emmett, stop being an ass. Go get to work. I'll be there in a minute." Emmett left the trailer without another word. Edward looked over to Bella only slightly apologetically. "Look, he's pretty open and honest. I have to admit, my guys don't trust you. They see you sit in your trailer all day and don't believe you know what you're doing. They work for me, and I signed a contract with you, so the work will happen. Just know my guys don't respect someone because of what their business card says. You'll have to prove yourself."

Bella rolled her eyes, not feeling the father-like speech Edward was delivering. "And I don't respect subs that don't get the job done. So it looks like the ball is in your court. You prove you can get everything done you need to get done before electrical and plumbing show up Monday, and I'll prove my ability to do more than paperwork to your guys."

"Sounds like a challenge to me. How are you going to prove yourself? I only ask because we _will_ get everything ready, with time to spare," he motioned toward her work-boots sitting neatly under the clothes chair. "You come dressed and ready Friday after lunch. We'll be waiting."

"I accept the challenge, although I highly doubt I'll need to come prepared. There's no way you're going to get everything done before lunch on Friday. I have no doubts you'll be out here Saturday making up for all the slacking off your boys are doing right now. And as far as the proof? I'll leave that up to you guys. I can do any job on this job site just as well as you or your boys. So, you go out and pick your strongest 'event'. I'll deliver; don't you worry."

Edward stuck out his hand, a devious smile spread across his face. "In my line of work, we shake on it. It seals the deal."

Bella started to walk away, back to her desk. "And in my line of work, we wouldn't dare touch rough, calloused hands. Think of all the time we'd have to spend getting our manicures fixed after touching someone like you." She sneered.

Edward left the office with a spring in his step and newfound motivation. He called his guys over and explained the deal. They agreed to work hard, smart and fast. As a reward, they'd each get to pick a part of the challenge and take on Bella, one on one.

And get to work, they did. Without even planning it, they often worked through lunch, coming in early and sometimes leaving late. Bella walked through the site often, inspecting for OSHA violations, bad workmanship and cut corners. She was always impressed to find nothing to complain about, other than the jeers from Edward's crew. Emmett would just laugh the creepy, evil laugh of his whenever she walked by. Jasper would cluck his tongue and just stare her down like a bad Clint Eastwood movie. Edward ignored her. He had to keep working and make sure he was done well before lunch on Friday. Bella never paid attention to any of them. She went about her job, making sure her site was running smoothly, on budget, and - most importantly - on schedule.

xXXx

Friday morning, Bella was sure to have her working clothes on hand. Normally, she didn't help out a sub unless it was necessary, her insurance covering her for every aspect of the job. Much like unions, it wasn't cool to do another man's job. But today was different. Today was about proving herself. An hour before lunch, she changed into her steel-toed work boots, ratty jeans, small white tank-top and her father's flannel jacket.

She had every one of her father's flannel jackets and wore them often. He gave her the strength she needed when she couldn't muster it up herself. Her father was the one that taught her to go after her dreams, even if they weren't the popular dreams. Her father was the one that told her she could do anything she wanted. And her father was the one she talked to every weekend, recounting the stories of stupid men that underestimated her. She snuggled into the flannel, feeling her father's loving arms wrapped around her. She couldn't wait to talk to him this weekend and tell him all about how she showed these guys a thing or two.

Feeling confident, and ready to tell the guys just how far behind schedule they were, Bella left the trailer with her shoulders high. She was shocked to find Edward and his crew sitting on the tailgate of a truck, drinking Gatorade and BS'ing about nothing in particular. She smirked at them, assuming they'd admitted defeat. But the more she walked around the job site, referencing the Gantt chart and the blueprints, the more she realized they were indeed ahead of schedule and basking in the glow of a job well done. When she'd finished walking the perimeter of the structure, her blood pressure was soaring, and the blood in her veins was burning. She couldn't believe they'd pulled off such an aggressive first week with time to spare.

Walking back by the truck, she paused enough to offer Edward and his team praise. "Great job, guys. Looks like electrical and plumbing will be ready to go first thing Monday morning."

"Which means we get to beat your ass this afternoon, right? Wasn't that the deal?" Emmett laughed.

"That's what Eddie told us. You're going to actually try to do man's work. I wish you luck! No one's faster with a nail gun than I am, little lady." Jasper drawled, only bothering to tip his hat as he played up the last sentence.

"Gentlemen, I suggest you get a good lunch in, you'll need the fuel to keep up with me this afternoon. And when I've thoroughly kicked your collective ass, I'll treat the losers to a beer." Bella walked off, more determined than ever to show these guys exactly what she's made of. The sounds of laughter and jeers haunted her as she walked back into the trailer. She'd need the next hour or two to mentally prepare for the challenge.

After what seemed like two of the longest hours of her life had finally passed, Bella stood up from her desk, rolled her shoulders, grabbed her hardhat, and went outside. The guys were all leaning up against a pile of lumber staring at her as she shut the door behind her. She could see the amusement on each of their faces as she got closer to them. _Ha!_ Bella thought to herself. Let them be all smug and full of themselves. She would show them, and when she did, there would be a big fat crow waiting to go with the beer she would treat them to.

"So, who ready to get his ass kicked first?" She looked at each of the three guys. They all seemed so confident, calm, like this was going to be a walk in the park for them. Obviously they hadn't properly done their homework. If they had, they would know that she knew exactly what she was doing, and in most cases, could out do most men on the job sites.

Edward smirked and rolled his eyes. There was no way this tiny woman was going to out do any of them. They were going to mop the floor with her and prove that all she was good for was typing and filing her nails.

Jasper stepped forward. "Ma'am," He tipped hard hat at her. "I do believe I have the honor of wiping the floor with you first."

"By all means then, after you." Bella followed Jasper over to an area that had been set up with two pieces of scrap lumber. "So, what are the terms of the challenge?"

"I have 2 strips of 25 nails for each of us. You have to load the gun with the nails and nail the piece of wood to the frame over there, going up one side and down the other, using every nail. Fastest wins. If you miss and waste a nail, you lose automatically." Jasper paused and grinned, proud at him self for thinking of this last part. He just knew he had it in the bag. "Also, the nails have to be at least 1 inch apart all the way around, and don't worry about running out of nails. I already tested this. There are just enough nails to get the job done. Emmett's going to start us. Sound fair enough?"

Bella didn't even flinch at the challenge. "Sounds good to me. Let's do this." She quickly took off her flannel jacket, not wanting it to get in the way, and picked up her nail gun. She looked around at Emmett to see what was taking him so long to start them when she realized she was once again being stared at. "What are you waiting for? Let's go!"

Emmett turned and looked at Edward, his eyes bugging out of his head. "Dude, do you see that? She has muscles bigger than you do."

"Emmett, would you just start the contest already?" Edward said irritably. For the first time since he had met this she-devil, he was beginning to think he had misjudged her. He was actually starting to worry about losing. Bella was either extremely avid about working out, or she really did get in there and get her hands dirty with the guys, because there was no way a woman like her could have a body like that, otherwise.

This was no pampered woman; her arm muscles were well defined and perfectly shaped. Edward had an instant need to reach out and run his hands up them, to see if they were felt like they looked. Her skin looked like it would be smooth and soft; with her jacket off he could see her long slender neck more clearly. The white tank top she was wearing showed off her jutting breasts and tapered waist. He could see himself undressing her, taking her right there against the framed wall Jasper had put up earlier when setting up his portion of the contest. He mentally pulled the tie out of her hair, letting the thick dark locks hang in long graceful curls around her shoulders. Inwardly, Edward groaned.

Edward was snapped out of his fantasy when he heard Emmet yell, "GO!"

Bella and Jasper both picked up the first strip of nails and started loading them in the guns. Edward watched, entranced as Bella pulled back the locking mechanism into the proper position and depressing the magazine release to load the nails into the gun. After loading the nails into the gun she pushed the magazine closed and disengaged the lock. Stepping forward, she peered around. She was at a distinct disadvantage. There was no way she could reach the top of the plywood. Noticing an empty crate nearby Bella pulled it over and stood on top of it, driving her first nail into the wood. She very quickly picked up a steady and quick pace, spacing each nail precisely one inch apart.

Beside her, Jasper was showboating and being a typical man. He was slinging the nail gun around doing tricks and showing off his 'skills'. "Yeah baby, you're looking at the fastest gun in the West." He did a few tricks, twirling the nail gun around and behind him before continuing on with the contest. All the while, Bella never broke her concentration.

Having finished one side she moved to the next. She reloaded the gun, moved the crate and started back at the top, placing her first nail. Jasper, having screwed around just a little too much, was just finishing the bottom of the first side of his section. It was clear at that point, Bella had the advantage.

There was a slight sheen of sweat glistening on Bella's arms and forehead. Edward stood back, completely entranced and fascinated by the show in front of him. Who knew that this irritating, sexy woman could sling a nail gun. Little did Jasper know it, but he was clearly the one with the disadvantage. Not only could she properly load the gun, she had taken extra time to find something to stand on while Jasper had already started his 'show'. Jasper was going to lose, and this did not sit well with Edward. He was going to be shown up by a girl. Fascinated, he continued to watch as Bella put the last nails in the final side.

Jasper looked over to see her progress and gawked. In a panic, he started picking up the pace. She only had maybe five nails left to drive in. Frazzled at how well she was doing, and fearing he would lose, he misjudged the placement of gun and with an unsteady hand depressed the trigger. The nail shot out and flew across the framed home sticking into a 2x4 ten feet away, just as Bella placed her last nail.

"Well, hell! Doesn't that beat all?" Jasper shook his head and grinned.

Standing up, Bella laid the gun on the floor, rubbed her sweaty hands on her jeans and looked at Emmett. "So, who's next?"

Emmett was staring her, his mouth hanging wide open, astonished at what he had just witnessed. Edward had an irritated look on his face.

Shaking out of his stupor, Emmett looked over at Jasper. "Dude! She totally just whooped your ass with a nail gun."

"I didn't notice, Em, thanks for pointing it out. Bella, darlin', a woman that can handle a nail gun like you is scarcer than hen's teeth and frog fangs. I'm impressed, and I concede." Jasper gave Bella a smack on the back and held out his hand. "Truce? Anyone that can wield a gun like that is good in my book."

Bella laughed. "I didn't know a Southern gentleman knew how to concede anything." Jasper laughed his hearty laugh and took his place next to Edward, ready to witness the next show of strength.

Edward rolled his eyes at Jasper's admission and shook his head. "Traitor_._" He muttered under his breath.

"I heard that. Come on, Edward, admit it. The woman knows her stuff." Bella was astonished. One bout with a nail gun and Jasper was suddenly defending her? Who knew?

"That remains to be seen. Let's get on with the next contest. Emmett?"

"Okay, here's how it goes. See those pallets of concrete bags over there?" Emmett pointed to the far most northern point on the job site. "And see the empty pallets on the other side of the yard?" Bella nodded her head. "We each have to haul the concrete from one pallet to the other. Whoever gets it done first, wins." Emmett crossed his arms over his broad chest, pleased with himself for coming up with an almost impossible task. Edward was standing back, grinning. There was no way she was going to win this one. Emmett had the strength and the speed. He could carry as many as three or four bags at a time while Bella would only be able to handle one.

"Alright, but I'd like to make a few rules of my own. First, Emmett, no more than two bags can be carried at a time."

Edward growled under his breath. Leave it to her to mess things up. Her rules changed things. Still, there was no way she could win. Emmett could still haul more at a time than she could.

"Second, if a bag tears, it doesn't count and you have to go to that pile over there and get a new one. All the bags have to be intact. Does that work for you?"

Emmett, being conceited enough in himself, let out an amused laugh. "Okay, I agree to your rules, but it won't make a difference. I'm still going to mop the floor with you."

"Bring it on then, big guy. Let's get this show on the road." Bella picked up the back brace she had laid down earlier and put it on as she walked over to her pallet. She looked from Jasper to Edward, waiting for the signal.

Edward stepped forward. "Ready?" He was looking at Emmett, even though he was speaking to them both. Emmett gave his head a slight nod. "Go!"

Bella lifted her first bag carrying it in her arms rather than trying to sling it over her shoulder. Just a few steps in, she realized it was wasting too much time and effort struggling with the bag in front of her. Emmett, on the other hand, easily picked up two bags at once, placing a bag on each shoulder, and started moving toward the empty pallet at the same time she did.

Bella, not letting Emmett's distinct advantage get her down, kept going back and forth, one bag at a time slung up on her shoulder, her starting bag pile slowly getting smaller and smaller. She was hot and her muscles were aching from the weight of each additional bag she hauled, but she plowed through, never once showing her weakness.

To her right she heard Emmett cuss. Briefly glancing in his direction, she saw him deliver one bag and discard the other. He had torn it. He hurried over to pile of extra bags and grabbed one off the top and ran back over to his pallet delivering it. It gave Bella just enough time to get back to her pile and pick up another bag. It wasn't much, but it was something. She knew in her heart that with only a miracle would she win this one, but she would be damned if she was giving up or giving less than her best effort.

In the background she could hear Edward and Jasper hooting and hollering, cheering Emmett on. This only made her more determined and gave her renewed strength.

Edward stood back, watching them both. He almost felt bad for her. It was apparent she was going to lose, and lose bad, but that didn't mean he wasn't impressed by her effort. Not that he would ever admit that to anyone. He watched as she lifted each bag of concrete and hauled it, running to the other pallet. Her muscles played about her body, moving and rippling, making him hot, uncomfortable. He shifted where he was sitting, nonchalantly adjusting his rising discomfort.

Edward looked over, counting the remaining bags. Emmet had five left to haul and Bella had twelve. She had just made it back to pick up another and raced to drop it at the now almost full pallet as Emmett was making his way back. Bella picked up speed, sprinting back to the pick up pile, lifting another heavy bag. This woman was insane. Would she never give up? Emmett lifted two more bags and cussed as one ripped. He discarded the ripped bag and hurried over to the extra pile to get a new one as Bella delivered her previous one and grabbed the ninth remaining bag.

Emmett, feeling cocky, picked up two more bags and started strutting across the yard, spinning and dancing. Not paying attention to what he was doing he stepped in a hole and fell face first into a mud puddle left over from the hard rain they had the night before, covering himself in muddy water and ruining his bags of concrete.

Bella, seeing the opening she had to win, pushed even harder and raced back to her pile, hauling three of the four remaining bags to the discard pallet as Emmett picked himself up and got new bags. By the time he made it back over, he had only one bag left to haul. Bella picked hers up and started moving as fast as she could just as Emmett threw the last bag over his shoulder. Jasper and Edward were cheering him on, screaming at the top of their lungs.

Bella reached her destination and laid down her last bag just before Emmett reached his pallet. She was leaning over with her hands on her knees, trying to catch her breath when Emmett walked up to her, picked her up and grasped her in a bear hug, swinging her around.

"I'll be damned, woman! I didn't think you'd be able to do it."

"Okay, Hercules, put me down; I can't breathe." Bella grunted out.

"Oh, sorry. Sometimes I don't know my own strength."

"I'll bet." Bella muttered as Emmett placed her back on the ground.

"I take back everything I said about you, Bella, and I owe you a huge apology. You're the most fucking awesome woman I've ever met. Wanna get married?" He was grinning ear to ear, his arm around her shoulders.

Bella rolled her eyes. "You wish! I'm afraid I'm going to have to decline. But thanks for the offer and the vote of confidence."

Edward was fuming. There was NO way he was going to let her win. And his guys? So much for their support. They had clearly gone over to the dark side, Bella had won them over. But there was no way she was defeating him, and he would not be swayed by her and give in like they had.

Standing up and marching over to Emmett and Bella, he stated with attitude, raising his eyebrows and cocking his head. "You ready for the next round?"

"Man, Edward, let her rest for a bit. That was hard work. She's gotta be beat."

Edward turned and glared at Emmett, "My turn." He had one more chance to prove that she was weak and couldn't measure up. The mystery of it was, he still was not sure why he felt such negative energy toward her. If he was being honest with himself, she reminded him a bit of himself: Strong willed, determined, natural-born leader, hard worker, not afraid to dig in and get dirty. But all of that paled to him. They had started off on the wrong foot and rubbed each other the wrong way from the start. He couldn't let go of that feeling. And he couldn't forget how she spoke to him in front of his boys. She was a know-it-all, conniving witch.

Edward looked to his right, pointing. "You see those two enclosed trucks over there? They're full of site tools and equipment. My challenge for you is to unload your truck and set up a site properly and faster than me. That means a recharge station, basic station, sawhorse tables, the works. You have to use every piece of equipment in there, and it has to be fully functional.

Bella inwardly scoffed. What did he think she was, stupid? She went to school for this, she worked on job sites doing this. Hell, she could set up a site with her eyes closed. Why did he continue to insist she was an idiot? He was showing such ignorance, and it was really beginning to piss her off.

"Okay, Princeton, I'll take you up on your challenge and throw in something extra, too. Not only will I beat you, but I bet I can by at least ten minutes."

"Ha! Like that will happen." Edward said, replying sarcastically. "And if you do?"

"_When_ I do, drinks are on you tonight. And I don't mean just one round, I mean all drinks."

"And if you lose?"

"I won't, but if I do, then the evening's on me."

"You're on. Let's get this show on the road then." Edward turned his head to nod at Jasper and Emmett.

At Jasper's call, Bella and Edward raced to the enclosed trucks, opening them up and hauling stuff out. Edward pulled out all the big stuff first, setting it up as he removed it from the truck. He pulled out a table saw and moved it to the left side of the lot, strategically placing it where he had pictured it when he planned this task. Next came the lumber roller, then the sawhorses and sheets of lumber for makeshift tables. He quickly set up his recharge station with the recharge units and extra batteries for all of the drills and electric hand tools.

_Piece of cake!_

Edward glanced over and smirked. Bella was struggling with one of the sawhorses. It seemed that the latches in the middle were broken and she couldn't get them to stay upright. She was trying to figure out a way to fix it. Bella looked over at Edward and back at her task, there was a wild gleam that came into her eyes at that moment. Abandoning her task for the time being she raced back to the truck and started strategically hauling out tools and smaller equipment in the order it would be placed and then moving it to her side of the site. There was only one thing left to haul out and that was the table saw. It was by far the heaviest piece of equipment she had to deal with. Deciding it would be easier and faster, she quickly unscrewed the base from the table and hauled it out in two pieces. Struggling with the weight of it, she finally got it situated in the spot where she wanted it.

Bella had the entire truck empty in a matter of minutes, and she was well ahead of Edward, time wise, she just had to get the rest of her stuff set up and in functional order; the only problem was the sawhorses seemed to be broken. The more she thought of it the more she was convinced that Edward had a hand in it. She knew without a doubt that he had cheated. Was it so important to him to win that he had to stoop to that level? Bella fiddled with the sawhorse for another five minutes before glancing back over at Edward. He was almost done, she had already lost. Well, lost by his standards, if he had not cheated she would have beat him, fair and square.

She felt the fire start to flow through her veins as she got angrier and angrier at this _man_, if that's what you could call him. It was impossible for her to keep her feelings in check. The words were on the tip of her tongue, and she was assailed by a terrible sense of bitterness. Edward turned around then and looked at her, a wide grin spread across his face; he was being cocky, too cocky for this to have been an accident.

"What's wrong, _boss_?"

Bella stood stock still, breathing deeply and evenly, her lips in a thin line. She tempered herself for a moment before turning to Jasper and Emmett. "Well guys, it looks like I owe you an evening out. You guys start to cleanup while I go in and grab my stuff. I'll meet you at the bar, okay?"

Edward could feel the fury radiating of her. He knew it was a bad idea before the words came out of his mouth. Still grinning he called out. "Guys, I'm going to stay here and help her clean up the stuff in the trailer. I'll be there shortly."

"Sure thing, boss. We'll be sure to start without you." Emmett called out.

"Emmett! Hang on!" Bella called. She went into the trailer and dug in her purse, fishing out her credit card. Emmett followed in behind her. "Start a tab on this if they'll let you. They know me at the bar we're going to, so it shouldn't be a problem."

"Thanks, Bella. And I really meant it when I said I was sorry. I completely judged you without even giving you a chance. I was wrong. I hope we can put it behind us and be friends."

Bella smiled warmly at Emmett; at least _this_ guy wasn't a complete moron. "Of course, Emmett. No one's perfect. Now go get us a table. We have some drinking to do."

"Yes Ma'am!" Emmett gave Bella a salute and left the trailer.

Bella sat down at her desk for a moment, gathering her thoughts. She could go into this evening with a bad attitude or a good one. After all, even if she didn't gain the respect of Edward, she had gained the respect of Jasper and Emmett. It was a start. She tried not to be so angry, but it was all a bit much to take in. Cheating... what was the point and what did it really prove? That he was unsure of himself and his abilities? That he was exactly what she thought he was to begin with? He had done nothing to bend, not even a little. She tried to be fair and play nice, but he wouldn't have it. So be it, then. She could be a bitch if that's what he wanted, so long as he got the job done on time and under budget she didn't care.

Bella stood up to go back outside and help clean up when Edward came barreling into the trailer. The calm she was feeling vanished, and all the anger she felt toward him came rushing back. His mouth opened, and her feet moved forward. She was on automatic pilot and couldn't stop herself.

"How dare you! Was it so important that you win that you had to cheat?!"

"Me? Cheat? Are you out of your mind?" Edward moved in closer, her fury fueling him. She never looked more beautiful: her hair in disarray, breasts heaving, hands on her hips. It was a sight to behold.

"No, as a matter a fact, I'm seeing things very clearly right now. You are a low-life pig that preys on making others feel smaller, so you can compensate for whatever you're lacking. How do you live with yourself? Does it make you proud to jeer and insult people?"

Edward moved forward more, closing the space between them. "No. Only you, boss."

"Would you mind backing up?" Bella snarled as she put her hands between them and pushed on his chest.

Still moving forward, Edward closed the gap until they were a breath apart. Watching Bella compete had done something to him, flipped a switch. He knew he would regret this later, but he couldn't help himself; he had to have her, taste her, and touch her. He needed it like he needed the air he breathed. "No."

"No? What do you mean-" Edward took off his jacket and pushed Bella back against the wall; his body rubbed slowly against hers as he tilted her head back, his lips hovering over hers for a brief moment before his mouth covered hers hungrily, his lips hard and searching, punishing and angry. His mouth did not become softer as he kissed her, but it left her mouth burning with fire as the blood pounded in her brain and her knees weakened. Edward raised his mouth from hers, gazing into her eyes. For a moment she just stood there, her breath heaving.

"Oh, fuck it." Bella placed her hands on Edward's jaw and kissed him back with an urgent hunger. Gripping his bottom lip with her teeth she coaxed his mouth open and reveled in his taste, the feel of his tongue meeting hers.

Edward reached down, pushing her shirt up as his mouth moved to her neck, his tongue exploring her long graceful neck. He took off Bella's shirt and reached for his own, pulling it over his head and flinging it behind him. Reaching her hands up, she grabbed fists-full of his hair as he backed her against the wall again, her body slamming into it as Edward melded into her, her breasts pressing into his bare chest. "The bra, it needs to come off. I want to feel your skin on mine." Bella leaned forward as Edward reached behind her unclasping the garment and tossing it aside. Pressing back into her, he felt the tautness of her nipples against his chest as he ravished her neck; his hands moving up her arms to her throat, exploring her body.

Bella's impatience was growing, as heat rippled under her skin. "Move, you're taking too long." She pushed him back against her desk and unbuttoned and unzipped his jeans. "Take them off." Reaching down she began taking off her own, in a rush to satisfy the searing need that was coursing through her body. Edward quickly removed his boots and took his jeans off. Not wanting Bella to be in complete control, he reversed their positions so Bella was sitting at the edge of the desk.

Reaching behind her, he swept his hand over the surface of the desk and cleared it of everything. Papers, pencils and folders dropped to the ground. Covering her with his body she could feel the roughness of his leg hair on her smooth thighs. The difference in textures was erotic, and the feeling it gave her fueled her further. Grasping her hands in his hair, she pulled his mouth back up to hers, attacking him with a vengeance. Edward muttered against her lips. "I don't mean to kill the mood, but are you-"

"It's covered, now shut up."

Slowly, his hands moved downward, skimming her body down to her thighs. This man was going to be the death of her. As much as she despised him, she needed him. She needed his heat, his passion and his body. She needed to feel him inside her. The yearning was building to an uncontrollable fervor. She wrapped her arms around him, feeling the hardness of his muscled back, moving her hands down over his shoulders to his arms. Reaching behind him she cupped his ass, pressing his hardness into her core.

"Fuck me, Princeton," She whispered into his ear. "Right here, right now, before I change my mind."

That was all the urging Edward needed. Laying Bella down on the desk he cupped his hand over her sex, feeling her moistness. He stood there taking her in as he explored with his hands. Her breasts were perfectly round and just ample enough to be alluring. He wanted to taste them, take her nipples into his mouth and feel them harden as he suckled on them. _Not now, later._

Bella was writhing on the desk. "Now, Princeton!"

Edward positioned himself and entered her fast and hard. He never even thought about being gentle; just fulfilling a need, fulfilling _her_ need. He moved in and out, hard and fast, Bella breathing heavily beneath him. He pulled her forward so her ass was completely at the edge of the desk. Placing one knee on the surface he gained more traction, allowing him to move faster. Bella, beneath him, was grasping the edges of the desk, gasping as he filled her over and over. The sensations coursing through her body hurtled her beyond the point of no return. Never had a man made her feel this way.

Bella could feel herself starting to peak, and knew she was about to go over the edge. "Ohmigod, Edwa- I'm about to-"

That was all it took for Edward; he thrust once, hard, twice, three times and emptied himself into her. She could feel him pulsing inside her. It was a very intimate feeling, one she did not expect to have with him. Startled by her realization, she quickly pushed him off her and gathered her clean clothes, moving toward the bathroom to clean up and change. She needed to defuse what had just happened and quick.

Edward stared at her, a confused expression on his face. "Bella-"

"Thanks for the tumble, Princeton." Bella entered the bathroom and was just closing the door when Edward spoke.

"I think after that we can start referring to each other on a first name basis, don't you think?"

"No, Princeton. We can't."

"You really are a cold-hearted bitch, aren't you?" Edward asked, fuming that he had succumbed to her; she had humiliated him, and he still wanted her.

"Yeah, I am. Now get dressed and go. I don't want to show up at the bar the same time you do." Bella closed the door, totally dismissing him.

Edward gathered his things and left the trailer. He was happy to see his guys made short work of the site clean-up; all tools were properly stored and secured, as no one would be watching the job site over the weekend. Still fuming, and rightfully confused, he got into his truck and drove the few short miles to the bar. Even though the trip should have been quick, Edward couldn't get his truck and mind to move any faster. What in the hell had happened at the trailer? Why did he push Bella so much? Why did she let him?

He knew he should have taken his time and treated her like the amazing woman she was. But he couldn't bring himself to do that; not verbally, not mentally, and most definitely not sexually. His guys had been so impressed with her ability and strength. She won them over, fair and square. And if what had happened back at the trailer was just a dream, then he'd have no problems letting his guys convince him to respect Bella. But what happened in the trailer really did happen; and he couldn't let her win, not after how she treated him afterwards.

Edward walked into the bar, even more frustrated and confused than before. He found the guys at a table in the back and pulled a chair up to the table. He grabbed the full pitcher of beer sitting in the middle of the table and started drinking, no glass required. Jasper and Emmett had witnessed this side of Edward before. They knew not to bother him, but to take his keys and make sure he got home safely at the end of the night. They continued joking and laughing while they waited for Bella to arrive so they could raise a glass to her stellar performance.

Back in the trailer, Bella was pissed. She tried to be nice, she tried to be the hard-ass, she tried to show the guys she knew her way around a job site. And, when none of that worked, she figured she could fuck Edward's disrespect right out of him; but all that did was confuse her and frustrate her more. Ready to get the night over, she grabbed her stuff and made a call to Alice while getting into her truck.

"Alice, I really need you tonight. Can you meet me at the bar in a few?"

"Sure, Bella. I'm on my way, now. Do I need to order you a pitcher?"

Bella laughed to herself, picturing a full pitcher of beer being used like a really big stein. "Sure, I think that'll do to start."

She hung up the phone and started the truck. The constant hum of the large engine lulled her a bit. She drove to the bar in a zombie-like state. How was she going to handle this on Monday morning? She couldn't take back what they did together. And she, sure as hell, didn't want to. She'd been with enough guys to know when one was good. Even rough, angry sex with Princeton had been better than the best sex she'd had prior to that day.

If she were being honest with herself, all she really wanted was to take him in the backroom of the bar and recreate everything that happened in the trailer. She was still mad that he cheated, but proud that he'd felt the need to cheat. She was also pissed at herself for her mixed feelings. On one hand, she hated him for everything he'd said and done since she'd met him. On the other hand, something about him was so sexy and appealing, her draw to him couldn't be ignored.

She parked her truck at the bar and let out a big sigh. She was relieved to see Alice's truck already parked in the dirt lot. Walking into the bar, she looked around to see all the regulars. The bartender greeted her and pointed to the back. Bella made her way to where the bartender had indicated, unsure what to say or do. The scene she walked into was the kind of thing that made you either laugh or cry. Bella chose to laugh.

Edward pulled a seat up next to him and placed a full pitcher in front on the seat. He looked over at Bella and patted the chair. She grudgingly sat down and took a long, hard pull from the pitcher. She looked up to see Alice sitting on Jasper's lap. Pulling out her truck keys, she handed them to a giggly Alice. "I don't know, and I don't want to know." She gestured to whatever was happening between Jasper and Alice. She really couldn't handle it right now. She looked up to Edward and then to her pitcher. She held up her pitcher in mock salute. "Just keep 'em coming." Edward held his own pitcher up and clinked pitcher rims with her. They both to a swig and set the pitchers back down, only to stew in their own confusion.

Alice, Jasper and Emmett laughed at Bella and Edward's unnecessary misery. They saw what Edward and Bella clearly couldn't.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:**

**Dearest readers, I feel it's time you get to know the real me. I've been living a lie for so long, and I can't do it anymore. I've updated my profile to reflect the real me. Please, read it and understand a little more about this 7-11 lovin' gal.**

**RobotMoose- You rock my world. Thanks for not hating me after everything you've learned. Thanks for writing this with me. Your'e the shiznit.**

**MamaboMama- Thanks for betaing.**

**Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight and all the other crap her marketing and PR suits tell her to own.**

* * *

Alice strolled through the racks of bright, colorful comic books in the Comics and Collectibles shop. She had a strange and unusual love for comic books and graphic novels. It was a love she had picked up from her father. When she was little, she would sit in his lap, and he would read them to her. Alice was always fascinated by the colorful pictures and drawings.

Thus far, this was the one secret she'd been able to keep from Rose and Bella. If they ever found out about her obsession with comic books, she would never hear the end of it.

With her head in the clouds, she briefly glanced around, scanning the store for anything that stuck out. Not seeing anything in the immediate vicinity, she walked over by the front counter where the owner kept his new stock and favorite merchandise.

Scanning the rack in front of her, she spotted it, her heart jumping for joy as she reached out and picked up the book. It was the Amazing Spider-man, 1964, 1st Series, eighteenth edition. She was elated. As she turned to her right to ask the cashier to unlock the book box so she could get a better look, she heard a slightly familiar voice behind her.

"You're not really going to get that, now are ya, darlin'? I didn't peg you for the comic book type."

It was that sweet southern drawl she had been introduced to several weeks back when her friend Bella had called her to the bar for an emergency visit. And rightly so, Bella and her sub-contractor Edward had been at each other's throats at work, and in more ways than one. It seemed that there was an abundance of sexual tension between the two, but they couldn't get past their dislike of each other to come to terms with what we all knew. They were meant to be together. The problem was, they were completely alike, and neither wanted to back down.

Alice smiled a small smile to herself before turning around to speak to the only man in the last year that had been able to make her heart flutter just by speaking. Not that she was giving into _him_. Technically, he was still the enemy, he thought way too highly of himself for Alice's taste, but still, it never hurt to wonder.

"As a matter a fact, I do believe I am. And before you ask, yes it's for me, no I don't look like a comic book freak, and no, I'm not an amateur."

A dazzling smile played upon Jasper's face as Alice spoke. He loved her spunk, and she was always surprising him. He laughed, "I would never presume otherwise. I'll bet you know exactly what you're doing. You know, we should get together and talk shop sometime. Did you know they had number forty-three in here last week? I read it first thing. If I had known we shared the same interests..."

"Interest." Alice spoke.

"What?" Jasper sounded confused.

"I said interest. As in singular. As in one. We share an interest, and thanks, but no thanks on the invite. I'm not interested in talking shop." The look on Jasper's face was comical. You would think he had never been turned down before, and he expected his southern charm to just lull her away. _Not likely_, she thought.

She was right. Jasper wasn't used to being turned down. And in that one conversation, the gauntlet had been thrown. She was a challenge, and one he wanted to win. Never one to let anyone get the last word, Jasper continued before she could turn around.

"So, what exactly is it that you find so intriguing about this series?"

"Are you serious?" Alice said incredulously. "Stan Lee and Steve Ditko are masters at their craft! The Amazing Spider-man is art; it is imagination made incarnate. It is literally comic book magic." Alice huffed out like anyone would dare to ask her such a question.

Mirth covered Jasper's features. He suddenly loved getting this tiny woman all worked up. It gave her animated features even more of an edge. Her small, angular face revealed lovely pink cheeks and round almond shaped eyes. There was a light spray of freckles across the bridge of her pert nose. And her mouth, turned in a frown, was shining from the gloss she had applied. Her hair was shoulder length and dark black; it made her eyes darker and added and air of mystery to her personality. Oh yes, Jasper wanted more.

"I never doubted you, merely found it intriguing. It's not everyday you find a woman, such as yourself, into the finer art of comics and graphic novels. I just wondered-"

"A woman such as _myself_?" Alice said, surprised yet again at the words coming from this man's mouth. "You know what? You're getting me all worked up, and I was having such a great day. So, before it get's any worse, I'm going to get my book and leave. Now, if you'll excuse me, _Jasper_." Alice turned back to the cashier and asked to have the book unlocked so she could purchase it. Jasper stood behind her, grinning from ear to ear. He liked this woman. He _really_ liked this woman.

Just as Alice thought she had escaped, she felt warmth on her ear. "Darlin', I love getting you all worked up." He paused before continuing, "Please, tell Bella I said howdy." Jasper backed away and left the shop with a smile wide as the span from Seattle to Dallas across his face. It was going to be a great day. The only good days were the ones where he got to see Alice.

xXXx

"What do you mean you ran into him? Just out shopping or something?" Rose asked, curious as to why Jasper would show up at a women's clothing store.

Alice sighed a wistful sigh. "Yeah, I was just browsing in the stores, and he showed up. I was doing okay with it until the end, when he stood behind me and whispered naughty things in my ear. I had to run out and buy new underwear after that."

"He was following you? Do you think he's figured out what happened with you two after the bar?"

"I really don't know, Rose. I mean, I left him in his apartment with all his clothes laying next to him on his bed. The only hint I gave was the matchbook from the bar; I left it on his nightstand. I don't think that actually says anything about us having sex."

"Having _sex_? Is that what you're calling it these days? Because the very next morning you couldn't quit screaming at me about 'The best orgasm ever!'"

"I know. Believe me, I remember it well. I just can't think of it that way if I'm going to make him work for it, you know? Just him whispering in my ear did me in. Could you imagine if he actually knew what he did to me? Good God, woman, I'd be a pile of goo!"

xXXx

"I'm telling you, absolutely nothing has worked. I've tried being sweet and silly and flirty and all that crap girls like. I've used my best Texas twang and did the ma'ams and darlin's and everything. Nothing's worked. What the hell happened?" Jasper sat down on a rock at the edge of the jobsite. He really wanted to bend Edward's ear on the subject, but Edward was always cooped up in the site trailer doing, what referred to as, 'the hard work'. Jasper and Emmett had been picking up the slack on the construction ever since the first week.

Emmett laughed. "Have you tried a polo shirt? It seems to work for me."

Jasper shot off the rock, pissed that one of his best friends couldn't understand. Alice wasn't like any other girl. He'd met her at the bar, remembered laughing and flirting with her all night long. Then he remembered waking up with a headache from hell. And ever since that morning, he couldn't get her out of his mind. He'd tried everything. He went back out to the bars the next weekend to see if he could find another woman. But thirty minutes into his bar trolling, he lost interest. None of the girls in the bar did anything for him, regardless of how scantily clad they were. It's as if Alice had wormed her way into his thoughts and refused to leave. "Damn it, Emmett! I'd probably get more help if I talked to the lead for the plumbing company. Jason, or whatever his name is."

Emmett didn't budge, but did call after Jasper's retreating form, "Jacob? He's not going to be any help with you getting your girl. He's a downright dirty dog!"

Jasper didn't care. He needed to hear a voice of reason. He needed someone to give him some idea of how to get Alice or how to get her out of his mind. Feeling lost, he walked into the site trailer and started ranting. It wasn't until the sounds in the trailer went totally silent and the air started to reek of tension that Jasper finally looked up; immediately, he felt stupid. Standing against the wall was an obviously flustered Bella. Jasper didn't notice the skewed clothes or mussed hair. All he saw was the horrified look on her face. He assumed it was because of the things he'd just said about her good friend and business partner.

Jasper then looked across the trailer. Directly across from Bella was Edward, equally as flustered. His hair was as wild as ever, and his clothes were askew. What Jasper noticed above all else, though, was that Edward seemed plastered to the wall, as if an imaginary force were holding him there. Jasper felt bad, like he was interrupting some sort of fight between the two. It seemed all they did anymore was fight with one another.

"I'm... I'm so sorry. I'll... um... I'll just leave you two. You can get back to... um... arguing." Jasper started to walk out.

Edward spoke up, still held against the wall. "No, Jasper. That's alright. The moment for arguing is kind of over now. Don't worry about it." He straightened his clothes and motioned to Bella to do the same. "What can I help you with?"

"Nevermind. I'm sure it'll figure itself out in time, I guess." Jasper hung his head, feeling stupid for letting something like this get to him.

Edward nodded his head, accepting Jasper's dismissal. Bella wasn't so convinced. "Jasper? Is there anything I can help you with?"

Two sets of masculine eyes widened almost comically. "You're willing to help me out, Bella? But she's your friend. Isn't that like a conflict of interest or something?"

"Well, I'll make you a deal. You help me get Aro and his electrical crew to respect me and my company, and I'll help you get the girl, if I can. And if I can't, then I'll help you find someone else." It seemed like a fair deal to Bella. She'd easily won over the young plumbing crew, but the older, stodgier men of Volturi Electrical were a harder sell. She thought Edward was the hardest, meanest, rudest man she'd ever met, but Aro trumped him. Aro seemed to have a certain respect for business owners, as he felt that was the pinnacle of success. Yet Bella owning Three B.A.R. Construction with her friends didn't count in his book. Why he ever agreed to the job in the first place, she'd never know.

"I'm not sure how to get that ass to respect you, but I do promise to try my hardest. Either get me the girl or get me to not care about her, okay?"

Bella walked over and shook his hand. No words were exchanged, just a simple agreement amongst... friends?

xXXx

Angela, Three B.A.R.'s receptionist, always drew straws to figure out who would do which site inspection every week. She prided herself on always choosing the assignments at random, as no one site was any easier than any other site. It was the easiest and fairest way she could ensure the sites were properly evaluated. If an inspector always visited the same site, she could easily form a bond with the crew and, even innocently, overlook safety infractions. By keeping the ladies on their toes, they tend to look at a site with fresh eyes.

Today, Angela didn't pride herself on her fairness. Today, she prided herself as a shrewd businesswoman. Patting the newly acquired hundred dollar bill in her back pocket, she called in the last assignment.

"Alice? You ready for your safety inspection assignment?"

"Sure, where do you want me this week?"

"This week you've got the Cullen House. Bella's site." Angela paused long enough to hear Alice drop the phone and scream. "Alice? Alice? ALICE! Pick up that phone right now and be a professional about this!"

She sighed into the phone. "Fine. I'll be a professional. Give me the details."

"No non-conformances reported last week. Since then, two new subs have shown. Both companies have been in the business a long time and have likely become lax on the minor regulations. Keep an eye out for those." It was the same spiel she gave week after week.

"You're sure it's me who's supposed to do the Cullen house? Are you sure Rose isn't supposed to do it this week?" Alice pled with everything she had.

Picturing the new shoes she was going to buy after work, Angela smiled. "Yes, I'm sure you're assigned to the Cullen House this week. Remember to get your report in by Friday morning."

xXXx

"Gentlemen, your company has signed a contract that outlines our practice of random safety inspections. My business associates will be stopping by to assess this site. I'd like to remind you that your company may be fined for every infraction. So, keep up the good work, make sure you stick to your schedules, and safety first." Bella would have liked to have walked away after her mid-week pep talk. Until the crew respected her, the talks were always awkward. She waited for question, comments, or concerns. As usual, there were none from the new crews. Edward's crew knew her well enough to approach her whenever necessary, so they, too, were silent.

She wandered away to the usual mumblings; "Who the hell is this broad?" "She doesn't want to get behind, but I sure do." "Who did she fuck to become project manager?" "Why does her daddy let her out of the office?"

All of that was normal. What shocked her most was the deep baritone of Edward's voice. "Listen up, idiots. That woman owns the company. She means business. So don't fuck around with her. The more you fuck with her, the more I have to deal with her bitchy attitude, and I can't stand that side of her." She smiled to herself.

xXXx

Alice pulled up to the jobsite, fully capable of completing the inspection, but unable to actually get herself out of the truck. She shielded her eyes from the site, cautious of seeing the one man that could undo her resolve. Taking a deep breath and grabbing her clipboard and hard hat, she exited the truck, slamming the door unintentionally. Cringing internally, she looked over at the jobsite to see all eyes on her. Nodding to the men as she walked forward, she saw the one face that she was hoping to avoid, and locked eyes. _Jasper... _There was no mistaking what she saw in his eyes. _He knows...just keep walking Ali, act like everything's normal. You don't know that for sure. _Giving Jasper a brief nod, she continued forward and made a sharp turn to the left, entering the site trailer, closing the door and leaning up against the back of it, relief pouring through her now that she was out of the line of sight.

Glancing around the office, Alice groaned internally. Sitting at his desk, staring at her with an amused expression, was a third of the trio that started this mess; Edward. Bella looked up from the paperwork she was doing, a small smile spreading across her face. Masking her features, Alice stood up straight, walking to the front of Bella's desk and sat down. Turning her head to Edward she opened her mouth and spoke, in what she hoped was a professional voice.

"Edward, how are you?"

Refraining from laughing, but unable to hide his smirk, Edward replied. "Alice, I'm doing fine. It's good to see you again."

"Glad to hear it. Would you mind giving Bella and I a few minutes? I'd like to go over some site details with her." Her look was blank, but her eyes were panicked. Edward, feeling the need to push, smiled, stood up, walked to Bella's desk and sat on the edge, crossing his arms.

"Oh, come on, Alice, anything you say to Bella, you can say in front of me. We're all partners here, right?" A wry smile covered his face.

Lifting her foot behind Edward, Bella gave him a quick shove off the desk, making him stumble forward. "No, we're not partners. I'm the boss. Get over it already. Now get lost for a few and stop giving Alice a hard time." Raising her brows, Bella glared at him.

"Okay, okay... I'm going!" Grabbing his hardhat from the table beside the door, Edward exited the trailer, laughing as he shut the door behind him.

Bella watched Edward walk out the door, eyes glued to his ass. Alice grew frustrated with Bella's game. "Oh come on, Bella! Can't you at least try to hide it, if you not going to admit what's going on?"

"What? I don't know what you're talking about, Alice." She crossed her arms over her chest.

"You two have been at each other's throats for a while. And that can't be the only body part you two have been at. You think we haven't figured it out? Well, we have. You may as well just admit it and stop hiding from everyone. We all know you both want each other, even if you act like you hate each other."

"I'm sure that's not what you came here to say." Bella looked down at her paperwork and signed the bottom of the page, dismissing the subject.

Forgetting for a moment about Bella and Edward, Alice took a deep breath, words flying out of her mouth. "Angela called me this morning about the safety inspection assignment and told me I pulled the Cullen House straw, and he's out there Bella, and I don't know if I can do it with out falling all over myself. You have to tell me what to do!" By the time Alice was finished with her tirade, her hard hat was on the floor, her hands were in her hair, and her breath was short from rushing all her words out.

Standing up and moving around the desk, Bella knelt in front of Alice, pulling her hands from her hair. "Alice, calm down. Look at me!" Biting her lip, she slowly looked down at Bella, eyes still wide and wary.

Whispering, "Bella, I can't go out there; I just can't. He knows. I know he knows."

Giving Alice's hands a gentle squeeze, Bella smiled softly, speaking in a soothing voice. "Alice, honey, why do you think he knows? And why are you in such a panic about this man? You had a great night together, he doesn't remember a thing, and he's obviously attracted to you anyway, or he never would have confronted you in the boutique. Just take a deep breath, pull up your big girl pants and go out there. Don't let him see you sweat. Go take control."

With tentative movements, she grabbed her hardhat and clipboard from Edward's desk. Her first few steps onto the jobsite were filled with terror. She couldn't face him. She couldn't see him all sweaty and in his element. It would do her in like nothing before. And no matter what, she couldn't allow herself to feel anything for this man. He's a chauvinistic, self-centered, egotistical bastard. Sure, he knew his way around her body, but no doubt from too many years of practice with anything with a pulse. He was all wrong for her, and she knew it.

She'd always wanted a wonderful man who cared about somebody other than himself. A man that was kind to others, even when no one was looking. A man that was the exact opposite of Jasper.

But she had an inspection to conduct. Any small misstep on a jobsite can result in high insurance bills, lost work days, law suits or even death. Most employers never wanted that for any of their employees. They definitely didn't want to tear them away from their families prematurely.

Alice concentrated hard on seeing the jobsite and not the individual workers. If she could take the personal aspect out of the equation, she could inspect the site like any other. And she did.

At the watercooler, Jasper watched Alice walk around the site. She looked at everything, never missing a detail. And she must have known her regulations, because she looked for the little things that OSHA would notice, but most others would miss. She looked amazing with her hardhat, work boots, and work clothes. Her jeans hugged her curves just right. Her plain t-shirt followed every curve of her tight, little body. The flannel plaid shirt tied around her waist hugged her ass just right.

When Jasper noticed Jacob, the plumbing sub, staring at her as she walked away, he saw red. Jacob was almost in a full drool. Jasper had no claims on Alice, but there was no way in hell Jacob was going to ogle her that way. Trying to get his attention, Jasper elbowed Jacob in the ribs. Jacob grunted, but didn't take his eyes off Alice's retreating form. Without thinking, Jasper picked up the smallest orange Igloo water cooler and dumped it over Jacob's head.

Jacob sputtered and turned to Jasper, standing up on his tiptoes to stare into Jasper's face. "What the fuck, Whitlock?"

"Oh. Um… yeah. Sorry about that. You looked like you needed cooling off." Jasper had no excuse for his actions. None. He acted in rage alone.

"Damn straight I need cooling off. If I don't start cooling off right this second, your ass will be mine. Don't ever fuck with me like that."

Jasper didn't really see Jacob as a threat, but he'd never make it known. "You're right. I'm sorry. I'll leave you alone now." Although he felt like an idiot, the drowning accomplished what he wanted it to. Jacob was no longer staring at his woman.

As Alice was walking back to her car, she noticed one of the guys putting up a ladder to get to the roof of the house. The end of the ladder hit right at the roofline; OSHA requires ladders to reach at least three feet above the edge of the roofline. It's a regulation that so many contractors overlook. Turning on her heel, she called to the man ascending the ladder.

"Excuse me. Sir?"

He made a visual show of being bothered. "What? Can't you see I'm trying to work?"

"Sir? I need to talk to you about safety standards. Please come down here."

"I promise not to die. Now, go away so I can do my job."

Alice checked her notes and figured the older man must be Aro Volturi, head of the electrical crew. "Mr. Volturri, I'm simply trying to do my job. Please descend the ladder."

"You've got to be kidding me. Go away. I'd just like to get to work."

Alice planted her feet and gave the best stare she could. "Aro Volturi, get your ass down here right now, before I fire you!"

All heads turned toward the commotion. Aro puffed up his chest. "You can't do shit to me, little girl."

Emmett, who was already working on the roof, made his way over to where Aro was perched. "Dude, she could have your ass in a sling. I'd listen if –"

Aro threw up his hand, effectively silencing Emmett. He then put his arms across his chest in a non-verbal dare to Alice's authority.

Alice had the only ace in her pocket that could possibly work against Aro. "Sir. I personally wrote your contract. And had you bothered to look it over before you signed, you'd know that I can easily fire you, fine you or sue you until you're so broke you're out on the streets begging for money. You aren't the first, and you won't be the last I've had to do that to. So get your ass down here before I make good on my promise."

"Fine, little girl. I'll come down just so you stop screeching at me. You're making a scene, and it's distracting my jobsite." Aro's descent was loud and full of ego.

Everyone on the jobsite heard what Aro had to say. Everyone knew just how pissed Alice was, but no one moved an inch. They just stared at Alice and the anger radiating off of her in waves.

With a loud thud, Aro hit the ground and put his hands on his hips, waiting for whatever Alice was going to dish out. Alice started stuttering, trying desperately to get every evil word out of her mouth at once. Aro's evil smile grew with every nonsensical syllable out of Alice's mouth.

Sensing the nuclear explosion about to take place, Jasper rushed to Alice and grabbed her by the elbows. He swung her around until she could no longer see Aro's smug face. Then he put up his finger to quietly ask Aro for a moment. He moved around and leaned in close to Alice, whispering in her ear. "I don't know how serious you were with your threat, but please don't shut this jobsite down because of that asshole. I need this job, and I know I'm not the only one. Please, Alice."

Jasper moved away before Alice could respond. He left her there, still pissed, but slowly counting to ten under her breath. He moved to stand right in front of Aro. Aro may be older, and supposedly wiser, but Jasper had strength and height on his side. Towering over Aro, he growled in his most intimidating voice, "Listen, and listen good. You are a subcontractor. The ladies own this job site. And based on the contract you failed to read, it sounds like they own your ass, too. So do whatever Alice tells you to do. Or else."

It never crossed Jasper's mind to figure out what the 'or else' would be. He was banking on the fact he'd never have to use it. Luckily, Alice had calmed down enough to intervene.

Raising her voice so the crew could hear her words, she made her announcement. "Gentlemen. I am here to conduct a safety inspection. You've all done quite well today. Mr. Volturi, however, has made a common mistake. Had the incident gone smoothly, he would have heard me tell him that his ladder needs to extend past the roofline at least three feet. It's really a simple fix. And if it proves to be too difficult for Mr. Volturi, I'll happily show him how to raise his ladder on his own, as I'm sure no one in their right mind would dare offer to actually help raise anything else for him." Alice smiled a wicked smile as laughs bellowed from many of the crew.

Aro's face grew red, but Alice continued. "Having said that, let me tell you about the contract your brilliant Volturi Electrical company signed. Three B.A.R. Contracting may fine each infraction of an OSHA regulation up to ten-thousand dollars. And not only do we fine the individual company, but we continue fining the company each time the infraction is noted and not corrected. And should the financial impact not be enough to encourage compliance, shutting down the jobsite at a financial hit to the subs, not my company, is an option. For those still confused, I can ensure that none of you get paid one tiny cent until Mr. Volturi here chooses to comply." Knowing sighs and surprised gasps rung out all around her.

"It is in your best interest to ensure that your fellow crew members comply with OSHA regulations. I wrote the contracts you and your bosses signed. I am not stupid. There are legal stipulations in those contracts that basically say that if you choose to become a liability, we'll own you. I own this jobsite. Bella owns this jobsite. And Rose owns this jobsite. Last I looked, that means all of you with penises, no matter how small and indiscernible, do not own this jobsite. Get used to it."

Without any fanfare, Alice turned on her heel and left to her truck. Most of the crew returned to their tasks, some talking quietly about the scene they'd just witnessed. Jasper, however, couldn't just let Alice walk away.

He walked quickly, trying to catch up to her without seeming too obvious. Even if he couldn't get the girl, in this instance he couldn't let the girl get away. Not after Aro initiated a pissing contest and lost so horribly.

"Alice. Alice! Wait up!" His steps quickened to a jog.

But so did hers. "Please just go away, Jasper. I said what I needed to say. Now let me go on with my job. You do the same." She sounded defeated, and she was. She'd had to dress down a jobsite before, but never because of someone as horrible as Aro. She was thrilled with how she reacted, but she didn't fool herself into believing the fight's over just yet.

And then there's Jasper. She couldn't allow herself to remember, for one second, the feel of his body pressed so close to hers, the musky smell of his hard working body, the tickle of his breath as he whispered his plea. God, she definitely couldn't start to think about any of that.

Alice arrived at the truck to find Bella waiting for her. Hidden from the men of the jobsite, Bella took Alice into a hug and didn't let her go. She sighed into Bella's chest, "I so need our dinner this week. And cocktails. Lots of cocktails."

Bella hated herself. Alice was clearly in need, but she couldn't make their weekly dinner date. All three girls got together once a week to eat and drink and bitch about the workweek. But Bella had other plans. Plans she didn't want to miss out on. "Um, Alice? Mind if we make it a lunch date this week? Maybe we can take a long lunch on Friday or something. I just can't do dinner anytime this week."

Alice pulled away and looked up. "Seriously? Did you just see what happened? After all that, you're denying me alcohol? And lots of it? Fine. We'll do lunch, and Rose and I will go out for drinks later. You'll just have to miss it." She sighed. Cocking an eyebrow, she asked, "What has you so busy, anyhow?"

Bella stammered. "Oh, I… uh, need to get back to work; make sure the guys aren't revolting after your awesome tirade out there. So, let's just do lunch instead. Okay, great. Have a wonderful afternoon. See you tomorrow." She rushed away before Alice could ask any real questions. The inquiry would be bad enough at their lunch, and she needed time to figure out what to say.

xXXx

Alice rushed into the diner they all agreed upon for lunch and threw herself into the booth beside Rose, who was looking at her watch and smirking. "Sorry I'm late, guys, I just can't seem to win these days. If it's not one job site it's another." Alice shook her head in exasperation. "I swear sometimes I think men were born with their brains in their dicks!" Alice covered her mouth, looking around the diner, giggling as the heads turned staring.

Laughing, Rose shook her head at Alice, the stares from the diner patrons not bothering her. "Sweetie, if you're lucky you'll find a man with a brain in his dick _and_ his head. Trust me on this, because I've only met one. It's rare..."

Bella raised her brows, staring at Rose, while Alice's jaw dropped. "What?" Rose said, raising her hands.

"What guy, exactly, would this be, Rose? I was always of the impression that most men you dated were worthless unless they were in the sack. And you never mentioned any of them having brains." Bella smirked sarcastically. "Alice? Has she ever shared this with you?"

Grinning and shaking her head, Alice replied, her voice sweetly thick. "No, I don't believe I have. Maybe you could clue us in?"

"Or," Rose replied, "maybe you could clue us in?"

"What do you mean?" Alice replied.

"Come on, Alice, you think we can't tell when something is up?" Cocking her head to the side, Rose smirked. "What's going on in that head of yours, Alice?"

Sighing deeply, Alice calmed herself down, composing her thoughts. Then she exploded. "It's Jasper! My God, he just gets me all riled up. One minute I'm drooling over him, and I want to take him behind the trailer and do unspeakable things to him, and the next minute I want to strangle his sexy ass. I mean really! This is a man that could care less about anyone but himself. He's so cocky and thinks just because he's spewing that sweet southern drawl he can make things all better. Well, let me tell you-"

"WAIT!" Bella held up her hand, smiling widely, interrupting Alice. "You're complaining because he tried to smooth things over? Are you talking about the incident with Aro?"

"YES! And YES!" Alice replied, frustration spilling out.

Walking over with menus in hand, the waitress started to do her spiel. Alice smiled at her sweetly. "Oh, we don't need those, we know what we want." Ordering quickly, Alice continued, hunching over the table, getting closer to Bella and Rose. "Look, I could have taken care of that myself, I didn't need _him _stepping in and playing referee. I don't know what he thinks he's going to accomplish by playing the hero." Sitting up, Alice crossed her arms over her chest, lifting her chin.

"Alice?" Rose smiled and asked, a slight question in her voice, "Did you ever stop to think that maybe he just likes you? Oh wait," Rose laughed. "You're the one that got him drunk, bagged him and then left!" Rose grinned. "I think maybe you're the man in this relationship. You need to go take care of your woman!

Bella snorted, trying to hold in her laughter and Alice's head snapped around, glaring. "You're not making this any better, Bella!"

"Oh come on, Alice, Rose is right, just admit it. He only makes you feel this way because he really likes you, and I think you like him, too. You're just looking for excuses now and want us to reconfirm your feelings." Bella shrugged, pressing her lips together. "Sorry, babe! It's not going to happen."

Alice continued to glare at Bella as the food was brought out to the table and placed in front of them. Picking up her sandwich Alice took a bite and swallowed, a wry smile covering her face. "Say, Bella, speaking of just looking for excuses, how is Edward?"

Heart jumping slightly at the sudden change in subject, Bella schooled her features and smiled. "How would I know how Edward is? I could care less about his well being."

Raising her brows, questioningly, Alice took another bite of her sandwich and looked at Rose, winking. "Just admit it Bella; Rose and I already know what's going on, it's written all over your face. And Edward's. You couldn't hide it if you tried. Every time the two of you look at each other I hear Marvin Gaye in my head, singing 'Lets Get it On.'"

Rose laughed, choking on her sandwich. Taking a quick drink and wiping her mouth, she smiled widely at Bella. "I can't say I hear _that_ exactly, more like 'Afternoon Delight.'" Rose started humming the tune, Alice joining in quickly.

"Rose! Alice! It's not like that at all! You two have no idea, you don't understand..." Bella sighed, trailing off, looking from Rose to Alice and back. "Fine!" Bella said slightly aggravated, throwing her hands in the air. "You caught me!" She looked back and forth again between Alice and Rose, taking a breath and sounding defeated. "I don't know what to do, guys. The man drives me crazy, yet I can't get him out of my head, and our sexual chemistry is through the roof!"

Shrugging, Rose popped a fry in her mouth and chewed, taking a drink. "Okay then, so what's the problem? Nothing wrong with fucking him."

Groaning, Bella pushed her empty plate out of the way and lowered her head to the table, mumbling. "Yeah, if that's what it was all about."

Taking Bella's face in her hands, Alice lifted it off the table and looked at Bella, astonished. "Excuse me? What did you just say?

Blushing, Bella lifted her head and confessed. "I said 'if that was what it was all about.' Guys, I am in so much trouble." Laying her head in her hands, she continued as Alice and Rose stared at her in shock. "One second it was all about the sex, only about the sex. I couldn't stand him for anything more than that, his attitude, hell, his entire personality was enough to drive me crazy, but oh my God, he devours me sexually, and I can't get enough. Then one day it all changed. He started being sweet; he took me to dinner. Last night he spent the night in my bed, ALL night. I let him; I wanted him there."

"HOLY SHIT! You fell for him, Bella!" Rose exclaimed, raising out of her seat slightly, looking at Bella with wide eyes. "What the hell happened?"

"I don't know, Rose! He just got under my skin and now...fuck! I'm sunk." Grabbing Rose's hands and squeezing, she continued, panicked. "What do I do Rose? I mean, he cooked me fucking breakfast this morning! If the guys find out..."

Placing a hand under Bella's chin, Alice smiled, and turned her head toward her. "They do what, Bella? They couldn't possibly treat you any worse. I think it's sweet, and even if he is a macho pig, I like him and think he's perfect for you, so there! Give it a chance, Bella. I bet he surprises you."

"Seriously, Alice?" Bella looked to Rose. "Rose? Any comments, oh queen of the heartless?"

Smirking, Rose shrugged. "As long as he's good in the sack, babe!" Looking at Alice, seeing the displeasure on her face, Rose continued. "What! It's true. Okay, okay...Look, Bella, you like him, okay maybe you more than like him, and he obviously feels the same about you, too. Nothing wrong with seeing if you two have a little something...more. Can't hurt any right?

"Okay then, fine. I'll give him a chance." Bella held up a hand, stopping the automatic agreements from Rose and Alice. "On one condition. Alice, you have to talk to Jasper, and I don't mean about work, or on site, I mean really talk to him."

Shaking her head and grabbing Bella's hand, Alice squeaked out "What? No, Bella, anything but that!"

"Sorry, girl!" She looked at Rose as the waitress laid the check on the table. "Rose? Fair is fair, right?"

"She's right, Alice. Fair _is_ fair." Laughing loudly Rose picked up the check. "I'll get this since I can't make dinner tonight."

"Wait, what? What do you mean you can't make dinner? You, too? You guys are abandoning me! Why, Rose?"

"I had something come up that I have to take care of, Alice." Giving a slight shrug, Rose picked up her purse, walking to the front counter to pay.

"Rose, you come back here!"

Laughing and scooting out of the seat, Bella looked at Alice. "I already tried. She's not talking. Come on, we gotta get back to work."

xXXx

After spending the whole afternoon and evening struggling with her thoughts on Jasper and writing up the nonconformance report for Bella to review, Alice didn't get much actual work done. And sleep didn't come easily, either. When she did finally fall asleep, she slept soundly and dreamlessly. Feeling refreshed, Alice drove to the Cullen House site to deliver her report.

She got right out of the truck and marched to Bella's trailer. She didn't look around the jobsite, and she didn't want to see Jasper. She was determined to ignore him in order to get over him. He was physically her perfect match, but he wasn't what she needed emotionally.

She put the report on Bella's desk, since no one was inside the trailer. It was unusual to not see Bella or the leads using the trailer for paperwork, but it did happen occasionally. So she thought nothing of it. With a whistle on her lips and a bounce in her step, she left the trailer and started for the truck. But something caught her attention.

"So help me God, Aro, follow the fucking regulations!" The comforting southern drawl of the threat filled her ears. Instinctively, Alice looked up to find the source. She knew exactly who had yelled it, but she needed visual proof. Curious, she snuck closer to the altercation, making sure no one saw her. What she spied when she had visual confirmation awed her.

Standing a few inches apart were Aro and Jasper. Aro pushed Jasper's chest with his finger. "You talk to your mama that way, boy?"

"My mama's gone. There's no way in hell I'd talk to my nana like that, though. My nana raised me to be a gentleman. She taught me to never speak to a lady the way you do, and to always do what's right. So get with the program and stop risking my job because you're too stubborn to follow a simple rule. Raise your fucking ladder."

"What do you care if I get the site shut down? It's not as if you need the money. I'm sure you live a nice life and have never had to actually work for the basics in life."

Alice looked around and noted the rest of the men hard at work. Apparently these two going at it wasn't anything new to them. How much had she really missed over the last two days?

"Oh, you did not just say that. I've worked every day since I was a teenager. And all of it, just for the basics. My nana gave up everything to raise me when my mama left. She couldn't afford to live on her own, let alone raise me. As soon as I could, I got a job to help her out. Aside from the basics, every cent I make goes to her. So don't you dare threaten my chance to make her life a little easier. I'm the only reason that poor old woman isn't working two or three jobs."

Alice's jaw went slack as she listened in. Jasper inched even closer to Aro, almost touching nose to nose. "So, no. I'm not some snot-nosed kid that needs beer money for the weekends. I work hard for my money, and I can't let you cheat my nana out of it. I'm serious, Aro, you fuck this up and you'll have a major problem on your hands."

She couldn't believe her ears. Jasper wasn't the spoiled, thoughtless jerk she thought he was. Not only did he give everything he had to help his grandma, but he was willing to go toe to toe with Aro over his treatment of her and Bella. Just a few minutes ago, she was ready to write him off, but now this. Yes, this certainly changed everything.

Feeling confused and, for some reason, giddy, she headed back to the truck to get to her own site. Along the way, Bella called to check in.

"Hey, you. Were you able to drop the report off, or do I need to go pick it up at the office?"

Alice laughed. She'd completely forgotten the reason she was at the Cullen House in the first place. "Yeah, the report's on your desk."

"Wonderful. How was the jobsite this morning? You have any other incidents with Aro?"

"Me? No, I didn't have any run-ins with Aro. Something tells me you'll have an easier time with him now, by the way."

"You think so, huh? Well, I hope so, at least. I'm so tired of him and his douchebaggery as it is." Both ladies laughed at that.

Bella wanted to make sure Alice was okay in her thoughts after their lunch conversation yesterday, but couldn't bring herself to offer up a supportive shoulder. She'd be there in a minute if Alice requested it, but she wasn't going to offer up her free time on a silver platter. "You have some plans this weekend? Something to pamper yourself and forget the craziness of the week?"

Alice took a nanosecond to come up with something that would be a treat. It's the same thing she secretly treated herself to anytime she was down; a new comic book. "Yeah, I'll do some retail therapy. Don't worry, I'll be back to my old self in no time. Have a great day, Bella."

xXXx

Alice opened the door to the comic book shop, listening to the familiar tinkle of the bell, and smiled to herself. Taking a deep breath, she stood there for a moment with her eyes closed, enjoying the old inviting scents of the store. Smiling, and feeling better then she had in weeks, she walked straight to the back of the shop, her mind half on Jasper and what she had seen yesterday with Aro, and half on the wonderful collection of ink and paper surrounding her.

Grinning and biting her lip, Alice gently flipped through a stack of books on a table marked for clearance, when she heard a familiar voice in her ear...again.

"Well, hello there, darlin'. Imagine my luck runnin' into you here twice, and in a matter of weeks. It must be fate." Jasper stood mere inches from Alice, breathing in her scent as he whispered in her ear, figuring, if anything, there was no reason they couldn't at least be friends. It was a complete stroke of luck that she happened to be here today, of all days. He had needed something to cheer him up, and this store usually did the trick, even if he never bought anything. The fight with Aro had gotten to him, reminded him that he had other obligations, people to take care of, and who was he to even be entertaining the thought of dating, especially someone like Alice. Why in the world would she ever want to be with a working class, poor cowboy?

Restraining herself from smiling, Alice turned around and almost had to suck in a deep breath. This man was amazing no matter what he was in. Today it was a Navy t-shirt, jeans and battered work boots._ Yep! He is melt-worthy. _Putting on a polite smile, Alice spoke, completely blowing Jasper away.

"Hello, Jasper." Alice smiled, almost mischievously, practically bouncing as she spoke. "How are you today?"

Jasper stood before Alice, speechless. This was not something he expected. As a matter a fact, he figured he would have to lay the southern charm on pretty thick to even begin to crack her shell, and there she was, smiling and talking to him. Too bad he had given up.

Flashing his best smile, he subtly looked Alice over, easily noticing the tight jeans and snug t-shirt. Involuntary, his dick twitched, and he mentally berated himself for the betrayal. "So, what brings you here today, darlin'?"

Still smiling, Alice replied. "Actually, I came here to treat myself. It's turned out to be an okay week."

"That is has," Jasper lied, trying to keep the happy smile on his face, when all he really wanted to do was escape. The nearness to Alice was killing him, and all he wanted to do now was go home and wallow, taking the weekend to, hopefully, get over his need for her. Unfortunately the pull was just too strong, and before he knew it, he was opening his treacherous mouth and asking questions. "How do you usually treat yourself?"

Grabbing Jasper's hand, Alice giggled and pulled him toward the back of the store. "I'm glad you asked. Let me show you." Grinning from ear to ear, Alice looked over her shoulder at Jasper and winked.

Struggling internally, Jasper followed Alice, wondering how in the world he was going to get out the door and away from her without completely blowing his resolve. Her cheerfulness was making him regret his decision, he wanted her, even if he she didn't want him. He needed an out, and quick! "Uhm, Alice darlin', I just-"

"Here it is!" Stopping in front of a display, Alice turned around and gave Jasper a dazzling smile. Seeing no way out, he stopped and smiled, looking over at the case, a familiar twinge of want flooding through him.

Looking back up at Alice, his face sober, Jasper spoke. "That used to be mine."

"What do you mean?" Confused, Alice tilted her head, looking at him.

Walking up to the case, laying his hands on either side, Jasper, looked down, smiling slightly. "My grandfather gave it to me when I was a kid, it used to be his, but a couple years ago, my nana got sick, and she didn't have the money, so I sold it." Jasper shrugged and looked back at Alice, seeing what he took as pity, covering her face. Continuing quickly, "I loved this one, though. It was the first appearance of Edward Nigma in the Batman series. What drew you to it?"

Gazing at the book in the case, Alice sighed, her feelings for Jasper mutiplying instantly. Treading carefully with her next words, she spoke. "I've been admiring this book for months; it's pure art. I mean, I know that with most comic books, the words and pictures function together to tell a story in a unique form, but this one...well, it's more than that. The colors, the way it's laid out, it pops out of the page and into your head."

The look on Alice's face as she spoke was one of complete awe. Jasper had never seen anyone so enamored before in his life. It's how he imagined himself; passionate, full of life, seeing beyond what others did. There weren't many that understood a passion like this. Jasper's heart lurched. He wanted her, even though he knew it could never be, and he needed to separate himself from her as quickly as he could.

"Well, ma'am, I'm certainly glad I could give you the opportunity to collect such a treasure." Jasper made a show of tipping a non-existent hat as he nodded his head. "Alas, I must go, the afternoon is growing late. It was a pleasure."

Confused, Alice said her goodbyes and watched Jasper leave the store, leaving quickly thereafter, wondering why in the world a man who seemed so intent on catching her eye could so easily blow her off. Deciding she needed a bit more retail therapy, she visited a few other shops, browsing and just enjoying the time being able to shop. As she walked out of the video store, with Avatar swinging from her hand, she spotted Jasper around the corner, under a stairwell. Furrowing her brow, she continued on, a smile spreading over her face the further she walked.

She walked into her favorite shoe store. It was a charming little shop with shoes piled against every wall. She loved to shop here because there weren't any pushy sales people. She didn't need to request sizes from the back. What Mr. Riley had in stock, he had on the floor. And he knew Alice. He never bugged her. She was a loyal customer, and he knew it. She felt at home here. Eyeing the new inventory, Alice made her way around the store, grabbing a shoe box here and there. When her arms were full, she found her favorite chair and started trying shoes on. Every time she had a new pair on, she made a pass by the window, under the guise of trying out the shoes' feel, of course. With every pass, Mr. Riley would stare out the window with her, looking for whatever she seemed to be searching for.

The thrill of shoe shopping lost a little something every time she looked out that window and didn't see Jasper. After the fifth pass - the fifth pair of absolutely adorable shoes - Alice slumped in her chair and stared at the large stack of boxes. Something changed; the shoes didn't interest her. Sighing heavily, she took off the pair of leopard print high heels and placed them back in their box. She started to put the boxes back together, getting ready to return them to the shelves, when Mr. Riley stopped her.

"Dear, don't worry about the shoes. I'll put them back where they go."

Distracted, Alice looked out the window again. "Oh, um, thanks, Mr. Riley."

"It's Ben."

"I'm sorry?"

"It's Ben Riley. I figure you should know my first name. My grandkids always say you need to know someone's name if you're going to take advice from them."

Alice rubbed her eyes, kind of confused. Mr. Riley had always stood at the counter, reading a book or going through his register receipts. He'd smile sweetly and offer assistance, but never anything more. "I'm not sure I understand."

He took a seat next to her, lowering his old bones slowly into the chair. Patting her hand, he stared out the window and started speaking softly. "You've been visiting my store for years. Sometimes by yourself, and sometimes with your friends. You're always happy and seemingly fulfilled. You enjoy shoes because they add fun and frivolity to your life. But today it's changed. The spring in your step is gone. The sparkle in your eye as you strap on a sandal isn't there. And you keep staring out the window, searching for something."

She couldn't believe she was doing this, but her mouth opened, spilling her innermost thoughts. "I thought I was happy. I have a great job, good friends, supportive family. What more could a girl want? But not too long ago, a guy came into my world and turned it all upside down. My mind's been so messed up over him. First, I can't like him because I don't want to get hurt falling for the wrong guy. Then, I find out he's more than he seems, not the wrong guy at all, and he seems to have backed off. Right when I get myself all together, he stops pursuing me. It's frustrating, and it hurts."

He patted her hand, glowing in that way only a grandfather can. "If he's not smart enough to see what a catch you are, then it wasn't meant to be." Mr. Riley grabbed the arms of the chair for support, shakily pushing himself up. "But don't be too quick to give up. Some guys take a while to get smart."

Alice laughed, feeling like maybe this sweet old man was right. So he wasn't outside waiting for her. It wasn't as though she'd asked him to. No, what she did was tease him at the comic book store; show him something he couldn't have. Oh crap, she really was mean to him, pointing out the one comic book in the whole store that could make him feel sad. She had to remedy this. Even if he just wanted to be friends, she wanted to do something nice for him, something to show him she's a nice person, a caring person. Filled with a new resolve, Alice started out the small shop, only be to be stopped by Mr. Riley's hand on her arm.

"Sometimes you just have to wait for a guy to get smart, honey. It can take a while." He turned to walk away, but not before looking over his shoulder with a wink. "But I think this guy might be getting his smarts quickly. He's two stores down, milling around, trying not to stare through the shop window every two minutes."

With a smile, Alice left the shop. Jasper had been waiting for her; he wanted to be near her. He was the playful type, so Alice didn't want to ruin his day by acknowledging his stalking, so she walked the opposite way. Of course, this meant her comic book surprise would have to wait, but that was okay. The simple act of him secretly waiting for her had changed everything. He wasn't ignoring her; he wasn't trying to stay away.

Walking into her favorite boutique, Alice nodded a hello to the uninterested college student manning the store. The store boasted refined elegance, but the music blaring through the speaker spoke of a different vibe. Every time she visited the shop, someone new would be at the register. And whatever the worker wanted to listen to was usually on the speakers. Today, this college student must have loved heavy metal, because the raucous noise was filling every negative space in the store, a dichotomy of sight and sound.

Alice browsed the racks, trying desperately to drown out the noise, until she came across a simple black A-line with red piping. Grinning, she pulled it from the rack, checking the size. _Perfect!_ She browsed the other racks, pulling a few items here and there. When she'd searched the whole store, she stood in front of the uninterested girl and raised the clothes, trying to get her attention. Without looking up, the girl threw a small keyring at Alice. She picked the keys up off the floor and headed to the back of the store.

In the roomy dressing room, Alice laid out her finds on the chaise. She put the keys on a small pedestal, finding only enough room next to the large crystal vase of fresh flowers. She sat down on the overstuffed chair and removed her shoes, followed by her clothes. She tried on a pair of high-end jeans and a top. Although she wore all types of clothes, she always felt prettier in designer ensembles. She tried on another top, deeming it too young. The third top was too mature. Deciding on just the jeans, she took everything off again. As she was folding the tops back up, she thought she heard the quiet sounds of the door opening. It was hard to tell over the music, but the door had a unique squeak to it.

It was unusual for more than one customer to be in the boutique at the same time, but that doesn't mean it didn't happen. She didn't think anything of it and continued folding clothes. She put on the dress, zipping up the back and posing in the mirror. She stood on her tiptoes, mimicking the effect of high heels. She held her hands in her hair, trying to mock up a fancy style to go with the dress. Suddenly her hands fell, her feet flat on the floor. The distinctive sounds of boots hitting the wooden floor startled her. She quickly got to her hands and knees, hiking the dress up just enough so it didn't get dirty.

There, underneath the small gap between the floor and the door, she saw him. Jasper had actually entered the boutique and was milling about near her dressing room. She didn't want to hide, so she got up and started to unzip the dress, but something caught. The zipper wouldn't move any farther, and wasn't unzipped enough for her to slip out of it on her own. A frustrated sigh left her mouth. She couldn't get the attention of the girl if she tried, the darn music and her obvious apathy for her job assured that. Even if she tried, Jasper would see her.

Sitting down for a minute, she ran through the possibilities. She wanted to buy the dress, so ripping it off wasn't a good idea. She could just wait it out, wait for Jasper to leave, but he knew she was in there. Feeling trapped, she put her head in her hands and breathed deep. If she was going to ask for his help, she was going to do it right. Poking her head out the door, she caught Jasper's eye, waving him over.

He sauntered over, taking his time, exaggerating his swagger. "Why, Alice. What are you doing in my favorite store?"

She rolled her eyes, choosing to ignore his comment otherwise. "I hate having to ask this of you, but I need your help."

He tipped his imaginary hat to her. "Lead the way."

She opened the door, allowing him in. He wandered around the spacious dressing room, a look of awe on his face. "Hot damn! We normally get a tiny little closet to try things on. Sometimes we even have a privacy curtain at some of the fancier stores."

She laughed. "Well, we are the fairer sex."

He eyed her up and down, his eyes lingering on her shapely curves. "That you are." He said without any humor in his voice.

She looked into the mirror, seeing his eyes on the dress. She ran her hands across the dress, feeling the smooth fabric slide under her fingers. "I like it too, but I can't get it unzipped, can you help?"

He was stunned. Stammering, he finally blurted out, "Yes!" He chuckled quickly, trying to mask his enthusiasm. She turned slightly, exposing her back to him even more. She grasped the dress across her chest and stilled. He walked up behind her, almost afraid to touch her. He looked into the mirror, catching her gaze. They stayed staring at each other, locked in that moment. Without shifting his eyes, he grasped the zipper, giving a slight tug. It started its descent, revealing more of her body. When the zipper was completely open, his hand lingered, unwilling to move any farther away from her.

The heat of his gaze did something to her. It was as if his eyes had captured hers, keeping her from looking away. She slowly lowered her hands to her side, allowing the dress to fall from her body, the rush of the dress' silk lining causing a ripple of goosebumps to cover her almost bare body. It landed in a heap at her feet. Without a flicker in his eyes, Jasper ran his hands down her sides. She used every last bit of willpower to keep from moving; she needed him to lead.

He lowered his head until his lips met the velvet skin of her shoulder, keeping his eyes on her beautiful reflection the mirror. His lips moved back and forth, lightly tickling her. When she didn't break the stare, he let his tongue finally taste her sweetness. Her shoulder was on fire, every pass of his lips was torture, but when he started to lick, her mind fuzzed over, and her shoulder started to burn. Her breathing increased, her chest rising and falling rapidly. When his hands started across her stomach, she finally closed her eyes.

His breathing halted when she closed her eyes. She stood there, trusting her body to him, and he would treat it with all the respect it deserved. Gently, his hands traced the top of her underwear, a smooth line from hip to hip. Then he moved up to her stomach, rising slowly to the underside of her breasts. He caressed the edge of the swells, her nipples puckering in response. At her neck, he sucked and licked so slowly, so sensuously. As his fingers moved to tease her breasts, his mouth also moved to tease behind her ear. She had stayed silent, pulling herself into her own senses. As he moved along her body, she felt each individual hair move under his hand. She felt the rising of each goosebump, the sensation moving from head to toe. It wasn't until he lightly pinched her nipples and sucked her earlobe into his mouth that she made a sound.

Jasper had to breathe deep, calming himself when she'd let out a growl; a growl that started low in her belly and rose higher with each pull of his mouth. Seeing her pleasure with such little stimulation was torture enough. He wanted to see her purr. His fingers circled her nipples one more time before moving down her body again. He kissed his way around the nape of her neck, hitting her other shoulder just as his hand slipped under the elastic of her panties. She laid her head against his shoulder, her eyes still closed. Her crisp, short hairs tickled his fingers. He moved his hand lower, slowly stroking, with each pass his fingers getting more and more moist. He kissed up to her ear, whispering softly, "Open your eyes."

When her gorgeous eyes opened, she saw his blonde waves falling over her shoulder, his brilliant blue eyes peering out between the strands. She looked down the mirror to see his hand inside her panties, stroking her. Her calm exterior was at war with her insides. She was boiling with heat, her stomach muscles twitching every time his fingers passed exactly where she needed them to. She watched as his hand continued to stroke her.

He saw her eyes widen, her mouth slightly open, as she watched him please her. Smoothly, Jasper moved his whole body around her, his hand around the edge of her underwear, pulling it down, while he moved to his knees, right in front of Alice. She moaned at the loss of his magic fingers, but otherwise stayed still, waiting for him to make the next move. He stared up at her, moving her panties down her legs with both hands. His breath moved across her sensitive skin, causing her to gasp.

A quiver shot through her body like a lightening bolt the minute his full, warm lips met her body. Bracing her hips from moving, he started to taste her, his tongue darting in and out of her flesh, her taste coating his mouth. Her body shivered every time his tongue hit her, each shiver stronger than the last. When the shivers were strong enough to keep her from standing on her own, he picked her up, her legs across his shoulders, his mouth still working. He walked on his knees over to the chaise, laying her down on top of the neatly folded clothes. As she reclined, her knees fell apart, opening her body for Jasper.

Jasper half laid on the floor, his upper body at the foot of the chaise. He continued his assault, lapping at her. She arched her back, her breasts jutting up. With one hand, he held her down. With the other, he entered her. She started to pant aloud, trying to keep her voice soft, despite the blaring music just outside the locked door. The mirror opposite the chaise showed his back muscles flexing underneath his tight tshirt. Her orgasm was at bay until she saw his head bobbing up and down between her legs, his hair subtly swinging with every movement. The sight of him touching her was too much; she laid her head back and stared at the ceiling. She clenched every muscle in her body, her teeth clamped tight together. Her eyes rolled back in her head as she screamed out Jasper's name. He continued pleasing her until she completely stilled.

When he pulled away, she looked at him. He smiled; she was beautiful. Her hair was slightly mussed, her cheeks flushed, her nipples swollen. She smiled back, willing him closer with her eyes. He stayed kneeling by her feet. Instead of stopping right there and thanking him for a lovely afternoon, she pulled together all her courage. Reaching forward, she grabbed his t-shirt at the chest and pulled him up her until he was lying on her. Licking her lips, she pulled him down, kissing him soundly. Smooth cotton comforted her hands as she caressed his strong back. His soft curls wove between her fingers as she dug her hands into his scalp.

His belt buckle had to be digging into her hip. He hated the thought of causing her any discomfort, so he pulled back, sitting up to remove his belt. She reached out, pulling the belt from his pants, then unbuttoning the button fly. While she moved his pants off his hips, he took off his tshirt, tossing it aside. He moved his pants the rest of the way, taking them off with his boots. When he was fully naked, he put his boots back on. Alice gave him a funny look; he smiled and shrugged.

His bashful smile did her in. She had to have him right then and there, so she launched herself at him, jumping into his arms. He kissed her hard, walking them both to the mirror. He held her up against the mirror, stilling them both. He needed to collect his thoughts, or it would all be over the minute it started. With his hips pulled back slightly, he thrust into her. She started to move ever so slightly, but he stopped her. Using all his strength, he held her arms over her head, his knees slightly bent under her to keep them from falling. Whispering into her mouth as he kissed her, he said "Hold still. I need it to last."

She did as he asked, kissing him, but not moving her body in any other way. When the tension fell from his shoulders, he started to move, making long, languid strokes with his hips. He let go of her hands, aching to touch her breasts again. Her hands fell to his shoulders, bracing herself against him. They moved in tandem, giving and taking when they needed. The skin of her back slid against the smooth surface of the mirror; up and down, up and down. The familiar tension coiled in her stomach. Her body tightened again, Jasper growling in response.

As she fell over the edge again, he joined her, hissing her name as he came. They stilled, unable to move. Eventually, he grabbed her, cradling her to his chest. They lay down on the chaise again, wrapped in one another's arms. Alice snuggled into his chest, thinking out loud, "I've missed this with you."

Jasper pulled back, putting his finger under her chin so she would look up at him. He narrowed his eyes, looking into hers for some sort of explanation. Something about the light in her eyes called up his memories. Every minute of their first night flooded into his consciousness. She bit her lip, realizing what was going through his mind. As he smiled a mischievous smile, he drawled, "Darlin', I think you've got some 'splainin' to do."


End file.
